


What follows across the stars...

by SparklyQuarians



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: A strange romance, Drama, Dukat is a cuddler, F/M, Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Not Canon Compliant, Oral Sex, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-28 22:42:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 53,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20071819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparklyQuarians/pseuds/SparklyQuarians
Summary: Lieutenant Raina Cavendish moved across space for a fresh start at Deep Space Nine. Almost disgraced and her previously perfect career barely together, she seeks healing and redemption. When she meets Cardassian Gul Dukat, they embark on a passionate affair that could ruin them both. Or will their love be a tool for peace between Cardassia and Earth?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written a Trek fic before. I binge watched DS9 and had the most impure thoughts about Gul Dukat. So here is a fic. Raina is based on a character I had years ago on Star Trek Online.
> 
> Enjoy!!

Raina sighed with a hint of sadness as the sight of her new home came into view. Deep Space Nine wasn't exactly the kind of posting that she wanted, but it was either a station in deep space or demotion. Despite what people believed, she had earned the rank of Lieutenant. But people's misinformed opinions of her weren't a concern; letting her family down scared her the most. They understand what she went through and so did Starfleet command, but they had to punish her, she fully understand that.

Life on a space station wouldn't be all bad. At least she would have some stability to start the healing process. It didn't mean she wasn't sad about leaving Earth, it was her home and were her father was. It would be their twice weekly dinners that she would miss the most, but as an Admiral, he had some sort of freedom to visit her. His final act of fatherly advice before she left meant she could read the personnel files for the officers. She already knew Commander Sisko as he was a close friend of her father. She was also familiar with the Dax symbiont, but only as Curzon.

An announcement interrupted her musings to say that the transport was due to dock. She slung her holdall over her shoulder and made the journey to the docking bay. Stepping out of the transport, she felt relief at spotting a familiar face smiling as she approached him. "Commander Sisko."

"Raina!" He replied warmly, pulling her into a fatherly hug. "You are looking great. I trust the journey was good?"

She pulled away, tucking her long chocolate coloured hair behind her ears, securing her bag on her shoulder. "It was fine. I was just eager to get here. The distance will do me good."

Sisko gave her a sad smile as he placed his hand on her upper back, leading her away from the dock. "Well, you have a few days to get settled. I'll show you to your quarters and then you can explore the station."

"If it's all the same, Commander but I'd like to get back to work. I've had nothing but free time to think lately. I'm sick of go over everything." She winced at her tone, but she was sick of people tip toeing around her. She wanted just to get back to some normality. Her pace slowed to a stop when she caught sight of a Cardassian in one of the shops. He caught her eyes, smiling at her but she remained emotionless and still.

Sisko turned to her, only to see her a distance away, stopped and staring. He walked back to her, then he realised who had caught her attention, giving her shoulder a squeeze. "Don't worry, Raina. Garak is relatively harmless."

She released the breath she has been holding, giving her CO an uneasy smile. "It's fine. I can't avoid them forever." She allowed Sisko to lead her away as she willed her heartbeat to slow down so she could breathe normally again. "Is there only one?" She asked suddenly.

"Garak is a permanent resident on the station." He stopped her outside her new quarters, clutching her upper arms. "I promised your father I would look after you and I will do just that." It pained him to see such fear and sadness in her eyes. She was just 25 but had endured many traumas in her life and career. She worked hard to get where she was and had everything to go far in her career, but it wasn't an easy ride. She came from a distinguished family in Starfleet. Her parents were Admirals and her eldest brother was one of the youngest Captains in history. It was a hard name to live up to, but she did just that. The highest echelons of Starfleet said that she could be an Admiral at 40. Unfortunately, her promise had been scarred by rumours of sexual misconduct, personal trauma and sheer recklessness. Her father asked Sisko if he needed a new officer and he jumped at the chance to have someone with an intelligence, passion and strong will that Raina possessed. She needed a second chance to get her career back on track. "Why don't you put your bag away and I'll show you Ops."

They took the lift to Ops, chatting mindlessly about the station. She had many warnings about the Ferengi on board, namely Quark and they talked about how Jake was settling in on the station. It took Raina's mind off Garak and the distraction that she needed. Sisko stepped out first, calling out to his officers. "Everyone, this is Lieutenant Raina Cavendish. Our newest officer. Raina, this is my second in command, Major Kira Nerys."

The Bajoran shook her hand, not quite as welcoming as Raina hoped. "The Commander told me about you. Welcome to Deep Space Nine."

"This is, Lieutenant Jadzia Dax."

The Trill pulled Raina into a hug, unexpected but not unwelcome. "You've grown since I last saw you." She teased.

Raina chuckled. "You've changed a lot, Curzon." She quipped. She felt more at ease when her chuckled was returned.

Jadzia's demeanour turned solemn quickly. "I'm sorry to hear about Commander Cavendish's death." She said gently.

"Thank you." She replied, quietly. "He died a hero and doing what he loved. That is small comfort to me."

"And this is, Doctor Julian Bashir." Sisko gave her a sad smile, his hand resting on her shoulder, giving her silent condolences, which she greatly appreciated.

Raina blushed when the doctor caught her eye. His handshake was warm yet professional. "Cavendish? As in Admiral Cavendish?" He asked with a hint of awe.

She grinned at the good doctor, forcing her mood to change. She had done her mourning in her own way. "Yes, I am one of those."

Julian noted Kira's confusion and dutifully explained who she was. "The Cavendish family have been in Starfleet for generations." He turned back to Raina, winking discreetly. "From the beginning, I believe?"

She nodded. "Correct. The Cavendish family were there when Starfleet was born."

Kira was begrudgingly impressed. "Well, I'm sure your skills will be invaluable here."

"Thank you. I'm sure I could stand to learn more during my stay here."

Her first day on the station went by without a hitch. She had bonded with Jadzia over drinks at Quark's and talked about literature with Julian. She had also managed to garner some attention from several men on the station, mostly a very handsy Klingon who had taken a shine to her. Thankfully, he took the hint after some very colourful threats and she had secured a reputation as not being a woman to mess with unless she invited it.

* * *

Garak watched with interest as Sisko's newest officer chatted to Lieutenant Dax. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling he felt when he spotted her staring at him earlier that day. He had never met her before, but she looked at him with fear and sadness, something that made him uncomfortable. Julian joined him for their weekly dinner, so it was the most opportune moment to enquire about the mysterious human. "Ah Julian. I was getting worried about you."

Julian scoffed as he sat down. "Very likely, Garak."

"Who is the officer talking to Lieutenant Dax?"

Julian turned to where the two women where, nearly lost among the throng of other patrons. "Ah, Lieutenant Raina Cavendish. She arrived only this morning. You seem to have taken an interest in her."

Garak gave his friend a sardonic look. "She seemed shocked by my presence on the station, this morning. She couldn't take her eyes off me. It made me slightly nervous."

Julian laughed. "You nervous? Never!" He teased. "And here I thought you found her rather attractive."

"Oh, well I never said I didn't." He turned his eyes back to Raina. "I don't think she likes Cardassians much."

"That's never stopped you before, Garak." He smirked, just slightly as his friend looked uncomfortable for a moment. "Shall I introduce you?"

"No. Let the young lady settle before we scare her." Garak kept his eyes on her. He didn't know her personally, but he knew of her family. Her reasons for her reaction to him had started to come clear to him. After all, it was a rogue Cardassian faction that killed one of her brother's and her want for justice was probably the reason why she was stationed on Deep Space Nine. He silently vowed to protect her as much as he could when central command realised she was on the station. Especially when Gul Dukat made his unwelcome visits to the station.


	2. Chapter 2

Sisko clamped his eyes shut, wincing as the stabbing pain spread across his head. He had several problems on his plate and the pile grew by the minute. Not only did he have two rival Klingon clans on the station, he had areas still suffering from power outages and Odo on his case about Quark and his less than legal business dealings. And, he had to manage all that without coffee as the replicators were still malfunctioning. Then Starfleet had delivered the bad news that the Cardassians had discovered that Lieutenant Cavendish had been transferred to the station. According to Admiral Cohen, they were alarmed that such a person had been moved closer to Cardassian space and they wanted a meeting with Sisko for some reassurances that Raina would be kept under control.

He was in two minds on how to deal with them. Did he tell Raina or try to keep her distracted until they were gone? It surprised him how long it took for them to find out; she'd be on the station for four weeks. Cavendish was a name famous/infamous in the galaxy; when one was around, everyone knew about it.

Looking at the chrono, he sighed knowing they'd be arriving in four hours. It didn't seem much time to prepare himself for the arrogance and expectations that would be thrown at him from many different angles. He still had to eat and check in with Jake before they arrived, and that was before he even managed to deal with his mountain of paperwork. He taped his comm badge hoping Dr Bashir was available to meet him. "Sisko to Bashir."

"Bashir here. How can I help, sir?" Came the cool reply.

"Can you come to my office? I need to discuss something with you."

"On my way."

While he waited, he rolled the baseball that sat on his desk, between his hands, occasionally tossing it in the air. It helped him think, clear his mind over the situation with Raina. He debated just how much he should tell Julian. He knew the whole, sad story including her misjudged affair with a much senior officer and a prominent Cardassian. He still had no idea how she even met such a man, but it was just fortunate that not many people knew about the affair. It would have been so much worse for Raina if they did.

The door to his office opened, an informal looking Doctor walked through. "You requested to see me, Sir?" He stood on the other side of the desk, standing at ease.

Sisko directed him into a seat. "Yes. As you might be aware, we have Cardassians delegates arriving at the station." He stopped, looking down at the baseball as he thought about his next sentence. "I need you to…..keep Lieutenant Cavendish distracted."

Bashir creased his face in confusion. "I can try, sir. What is this concerning?"

Sisko decided against telling Bashir the full story, instead he would give him as little as possible. It was Raina's story to tell. "Raina has had run ins with Cardassians. That is all I'm prepared to tell you."

There was a story to be told, but Bashir wouldn't push it. He respected the Commander enough to not ask questions. If he needed to know details, then he'd be told. "I understand. Raina and I had been discussing a holodeck program recently, I'll see if she'll join me."

"Thank you, Julian." He nodded. "I hope that these Cardassians will leave as quickly as they arrive." He'd dismissed the doctor when an Ensign informed him of a priority call from Gul Dukat. He huffed in annoyance, as he pressed the button to accept. "What do you want, Dukat?" That arrogant little chuckle made him quietly seethe. He detested that man and having to speak to him only made his day worse.

"Having a bad day, Commander?" Dukat chuckled with all the pretentiousness that a man like him possessed. "The Detapa council and Gul-Tar Keve will arriving soon. I, of course will joining them along with Legate Kell. I trust the human in question will be locked up to ensure our safety?"

Sisko managed to bite back his anger. The way he said "human" was spewed with such disgust. "Lieutenant Cavendish is unaware you are due to arrive. She'll be in the holodeck the entire time."

"I'm glad to see you take our safety seriously."

"It is not your safety I'm concerned about." He uttered slowly, before hanging up on Dukat. He slammed his fist down on the desk. He was worried. Raina was finally getting settled and the last thing she needed was to be confronted by an ex-lover.

Hours later, he was in the meeting room sat around a table with six Cardassians. Each of them looking like they'd rather he wasn't there. He couldn't wait for them to leave. "So, you requested this meeting. What is it about the Lieutenant that troubles you?"

A Cardassian he'd never met before until today, Gul-Tar Keve spoke. "I don't think you appreciate the issue. She tried to blow up a Frigate."

"She didn't try to blow it up. She had evidence pointing to that ship being the one that kidnapped brother was on. She was on a rescue mission."

"And her actions after his death?"

"Extenuating circumstances." Sisko went rigid, the rage flowing through him. "An exceptional Starfleet officer was kidnapped, tortured and killed by a rogue faction. A faction the Cardassian government denied the existence of. You created this problem and the Cavendish family have been dealing with the fallout ever since."

Gul Dukat hummed, drumming his fingers together. "It cannot be a coincidence that a Federation terrorist is now even closer to Cardassian space. I'm sure you can appreciate that this could be viewed as an act of aggression from Starfleet Command." He drawled out with disdain.

Sisko fought the urge to attack Dukat. That man was the most odious being he'd ever met, and he wanted nothing more than to throw him out of an airlock. "Raina is here as a favour to her father. Starfleet command thought it best that she be serving under someone she could trust. Admiral Cavendish has eyes in every part of the Alpha and Beta quadrants. If Starfleet wanted a spy, he wouldn't send his own daughter."

"I think that is exactly what Admiral Cavendish would do." Legate Kell spat. "He is a man of questionable tactics. I'm sure he teaches his children the same."

Sisko locked eyes with the younger Legate. "I'm sure you are familiar with Lieutenant Cavendish's…. tactics." He bit back with venom. "You didn't question her tactics before." He fought a smile that threatening spread across his face as Kell squirmed, turning away to avoid the questioning glares.

"This is getting us nowhere." Keve huffed. "If we could just question the Lieutenant. I'm sure we could be satisfied she poses no threat to Cardassia."

"Absolutely not. She finds it hard to be around Cardassians for reasons I will not discuss." He crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair. "You will just have to take my word for it."

"We will not be leaving until we are confident that she is not a risk."

Sisko growled lowly in his voice, only audible to him. He knew that they wouldn't leave without speaking to her. While she had developed a tense friendship with Garak, more Cardassians might unnerve her. He tapped his combadge to locate Raina. "Computer locate, Lieutenant Cavendish."

"_Lieutenant Cavendish is located on the promenade deck."_

"Follow me, gentleman." He stood up, walking towards the door before turning back and fixing his eyes on Dukat. "A word of warning, Dukat. Do not get fooled by her pretty face. She scared two Klingons into submission on her first week here."

* * *

"Quark, I don't care what you say. You had no right to do that." Raina shouted, stood outside Quark's bar with her hands on her hips, towering over the Ferengi as Odo stood by nonchalant over the argument the two were having. "You had no right to market me as an "attraction" to get more people into the bar."

Quark hissed at her in response. "That still doesn't mean that you steal all my gold-pressed latinum. Odo, make her tell me where she hid it all!"

"I'm a busy man, Quark." He sighed. "The Commander is coming, take it up with him."

As Odo walked away, Quark stormed towards Sisko, hissing obscenities. "Commander Sisko! I've let a lot of things slide with your officers, but Lieutenant Cavendish has gone too far."

"Quark!" Raina's echoed throughout the promenade deck as she rushed down the deck like a whirlwind towards him. "You were selling lap dances too?"

He laughed nervously, backing away from her. "You seemed to garner a lot of attention. Those dances are booked up for 4 straight months. Seemed like a good idea."

"Without asking and I don't see any profits coming my way."

"You've got all the profits. You stole them." He barked.

"And I'll be keeping them too." She shouted through gritted teeth. "And my face is not down there, Quark. Have some respect."

Sisko smirked, slightly amused by the altercation between them. It's not often Quark was flustered by someone, especially a woman. But it was time for him to step in, he knew Raina was feisty and could argue for hours. "Raina, what is the problem?"

"This little worm here, decided to market me as an "attraction" to gain more customers. One of his services is a lapdance." She scowled at the Ferengi before looking a her superior, detecting what she thought was amusement. "Don't you dare laugh, Ben."

"Raina, tell him where you hid his gold and I'll make sure no one bothers you."

"Fine." She snapped. "I hid it in the infirmary."

Sisko waited for Quark to leave before turning his attentions back to Raina. He turned her round, gently grasping her bare upper arms. "Raina, the Cardassians found out that are here. They want to question you."

"About?" She managed to fight back the fear that started to raise in her.

"They want some reassurances that you aren't a spy." He soothed, then his face quickly turned. "Legate Kell is here too."

"Fuck." She muttered under her breath; her head slumped low. After a moment of panic, she rolled her shoulders back, stand at full height. "If they want to find me, I'll be in Quark's."

Pride bloomed in Sisko's chest at how she well she coped with the news. If they wanted her, then she'd let herself be found were she was comfortable. "You might want to change out of the dress first." He suggested.

She smoothed her hands down her figure-hugging, burgundy dress, moving her hands to before hips. "Why? Worried they might have a bout of uncontrollable lust for me?"

"You are your mother's daughter." He chuckled walking away. Admiral Eleanor Cavendish was a strong, feisty woman and she taught her daughter to be the same. Both women could have easily had man begging on his knees for a snippet of attention. He returned to where he left the Cardassians, annoyed to see they were still there. "Lieutenant Cavendish has agreed to speak to you."

"Excellent, we'll wait for her in the security office." Dukat stated, walking away without even a backward glance. Dukat was…. eager to meet this human he'd heard so much about. He'd heard tales of her strength, ingenuity, leadership skills. He'd also heard about her renegade personality and the ease in which she would disobey an order if she disagreed with it. He wondered why such a person was tolerated in Starfleet, much less be lauded as one of it's finest. He'd met her father before and he didn't like the man at all. Far too self-righteous to have such an opinionated child. Still, he imagined her to be a meek human and nothing like the stories told. He didn't believe the story of her trying to attack a Cardassian vessel, trying to rescue her brother. She was an apparent failure as the brother in question died in a Cardassian brig, like the animal he was.

Four of the men waited inside the office, another two posted on the door. Gul-Tar Keve sat in Odo's chair, prodding at the computer in hopes he could read Odo's files on the Starfleet crew. Unfortunately, it wouldn't give him the access. After a few minutes, they were getting impatient. "This is ridiculous. These damn Starfleet types thinking they are more important than anyone else."

"I told you, we should have had her arrested the moment we boarded." Dukat spat as he paced. Just as Dukat was about to launch into a tirade, the door swished opened. A tall, dark haired human walked in, her footwear clicking against the metal flooring. He caught her eye and her neutral expression unnerved him. She didn't seem phased by the reaction to her, but he suspected that it was an almost daily occurrence for a woman like her. She stood hip cocked to one side with a hand resting on it and her other hand resting against her outer thigh. If she was uncomfortable around Cardassians, she was an expert at hiding it.

"I'm Lieutenant Raina Cavendish. You wished to question me?" She didn't know how she was managing to stay so in control, but she was proud of herself.

Keve couldn't have jumped to his feet quickly enough to offer her the seat he was in previously. "Well, there have been some concerns over a previous incident."

She squeezed past her former lover, ignoring him completely. Sitting down on the chair, she lifted both legs to rest them on the table, giving them an unhindered view of her long, toned legs. "You mean the incident in which my brother was killed. I remember it very well."

"Lieutenant, I am Jom Alin. I represent the Detapa council." The man leant slightly across the desk from the chair he was sitting in on the opposite side, taking time to admire the woman in front of him. "It alarms us that you, who committed a terrorist act against Cardassians, is now so easily in reach of Cardassia."

She threw her head back, laughing loudly. "I've never heard anything so pathetic in my life." She mocked, much to the irritation of the men in the room. "I have no qualms with Cardassia. I have an issue with the men who murdered my brother. He wanted justice for me and died trying to achieve it." She could feel her hands starting to shake as she got too close to the truth. "Truth of the matter is, If I wanted to kill Cardassians, you'd all be dead by now." Keve had gotten so close to her, she could feel his breath against her hair.

"What kind of injustice inflicted upon you, needed your brother to attack a Legate's vessel?" He took a deep breath, breathing in her intoxicating scent.

"That topic is off limits." She stood up, moving away from Keve. "Are we done?"

Dukat could see where her reputation came from. She really was a law unto her own. Even under questioning, she showed her disinterest. But, he had reached his tolerance level with her and it was time to remind her who was in charge. He moved towards her, using his presence to intimidate her, only it didn't work. "Typical arrogant Human. Rest assured. I'll be keeping a close eye on you."

The way he looked at her, a mixture of irritation, hatred and lust, excited her more than she cared to admit. She thought she had control over her weakness for Cardassian men, but something about him made her feel…. Licentious. She looked down at his uniform, running a single finger over his rank and name. "Yes, Gul Skrain Dukat, I'm sure you will." She cooed. "Now if you wouldn't mind, but there are more men waiting for my attention. If I stay any longer, they might get jealous of you." With one more look in Dukat's direction, she slipped out of the office and out of sight. Dukat had met many a beautiful woman in his time, but that arrogant, nonchalant human was in a completely different league. And the way she said his full name and rank, as if it were something to moaned while in the throes of passion, set him on edge. He turned to Legate Kell, who had a murderous glare in his eyes. It was a victory of sorts. He knew the man had relations with a human, but now he knew who it was. He could take great delight in taking another man's toys, but this, this was the ultimate prize.


	3. Chapter 3

The view of the nebula was as beautiful as the two women imagined it to be. It had taken same convincing for Sisko to allow them to take the runabout, so they could study the Nebula. Raina wanted time away from the station and dragged Kira along with her. "See Kira, I said it would be worth the trip."

"It emits high levels of electromagnetic radiation, so I don't recommend getting too close."

"Don't worry we can study it from here. Be interesting to see what caused that energy surge." Raina smiled, until she noticed Kira watching her. "You look like you have something to ask me, Major."

"You have a sadness in your eyes. For such a young woman, it must be bad."

"It's a long and sad story." Raina sighed.

"You can trust me, Raina."

Raina found it hard to talk about the past. It had broken her in so many ways. Maybe it was time for her to stop hiding behind it and confront it head on. "You want the long story?"

"We've got time. So, tell me everything."

"It was my second year at the Academy. I was picked to be in a six person team to study a Class L planet just outside of Federation space. We weren't near Cardassian space, but we were kidnapped, and the Professor killed." Raina took a shaky breath, willing her tears to not fall. "I was raped by three of them for five days straight. When we were eventually rescued, I was expected not to survive. I was in hospital for three months, but my ordeal didn't end there." Her breath caught in her throat when a hand clutched hers. "I got pregnant by one of them."

"What happened to the baby?" Kira asked, moved closer to her.

"At 21 weeks, I was told that she stopped growing at 19 weeks." She pulled back her sleeve, lifting her arm to show Kira. "Ellie's footprints. I wanted to make sure wherever I went, she'd always be with me."

"What happened to the men that raped you?"

"My brother, in his final act of brotherly love, killed two of them just before he died. The Cardassians think that I damaged that frigate, but it was him."

"He must have been a great man." Kira soothed.

"He was." Raina used the sleeve of her uniform to wipe her tears away. "I had been therapy since the rape. I had PTSD but it came in the form of a sexual addiction to Cardassian men. I've done things I'm ashamed of. Coming to DS9 was a fresh start for me."

"You've been on the station for six weeks. Not thrown yourself at Garak yet?" Kira laughed.

A bark of laughter broke free from Raina, it felt good to laugh for real. "I'm growing fond of Garak, but as yet, no sexual desire."

"Let's study the Nebula for a few more hours, then we will head back."

* * *

Dukat had that cursed human on his mind for weeks. His nights ruled by thoughts of her and those enticing curves. He'd never had sex with a human before, but he ached for that woman. Those bright blue eyes that looked at him with such lust that he couldn't sleep without seeing them. Even as he sat on the bridge, his crew moving around him, she was still on his mind. He was so deep in thought that he didn't even hear the helm talking to him.

"Sir?"

"What is it, Helm?" He snapped.

"I've detected a Federation shuttle on sensors. They appear to be studying the nebula."

"Scan them." His scales tingled with anticipation. She was on that shuttle; he could feel it.

"It appears there are two occupants. One Bajoran and one human."

"Hail them." He smirked when the object of his desires appeared on screen. "Strayed too far from the flock, have we?"

"We are studying the nebula. Having an enjoyable time until you appeared on the view screen." Raina smirked back at him. It had been two weeks since she last saw him, but her body still betrayed her. "Is there any reason why you are bothering us, Dukat?"

"I have the unfortunate task of keeping a close eye on you." At one time he'd have had his attentions on the Major, but the Lieutenant kept him entertained. "I also wouldn't want to have to rescue you should you run into any trouble."

"That's good. I was never one for the damsel in distress routine. Even if I was, I like my hero to be more… satisfactory."

Dukat fought the urge to laugh. She was teasing him, and he enjoyed it. "Hmmm, you humans are so hard to satisfy, it doesn't surprise me."

"Oh, we are just curious creatures. Don't you ever explore the unknown?" That was the most roundabout way she has ever asked someone if they wanted to have sex with her. But, sometimes she liked the build-up, just as much as she like the game.

"I do enjoy exploring the unknown." He was pleased when he could tell she was as aroused as he was.

"Enjoy? You mean Cardassians have fun?" She faked shocked, her eyes betraying her delight. "I can't even imagine you having fun?"

"You obviously know little about Cardassians, Lieutenant."

"More than you think, Dukat." She smiled.

"Ahh yes. An avid explorer like you, must have learned a great deal." He paused as he watched her briefly. "I feel slightly disadvantaged."

She held back at laugh at that. He was referring to her experience with Cardassian men. "Oh, come now. I'm sure you've explored plenty."

"There's plenty more to explore."

"But what happens if you find a place so perfect that exploration doesn't satisfy you, like it once did?"

Dukat had never met a woman so confident of her bedroom skills before. All it did was make him more eager to explore that delicious Human. "Then I'll claim that place as my own." If he could, he'd have her transport to his quarters and he'd never let her leave. "It's been most…enlightening, Lieutenant."

"I'm sure you've learned a lot. I'll eagerly wait for your eyes to find me again." He disappeared from the viewscreen and she completely forgot that Kira had witnessed the exchange. "What?"

"Nothing." Kira couldn't quite believe the level of sexual undertones in the conversation between Raina and Dukat. They were clearly sexually attracted to each other. "He's not a nice man, you know."

"Major, that is why breaking them is fun."

"I'm just warning you, Lieutenant." Kira conceded.

* * *

Admiral Cohen sighed as his son paced in front of him. Ensign Jason Cohen had been pestering him for weeks over his ex-fiancée. Lieutenant Cavendish had been the love of his life, but her lies destroyed what they had. He still loved, but she refuted all attempts to reconcile. He had been trying to find out where she had been moved to, only the information had been classified. He knew his father knew, but the older Cohen refused to tell him. "Dad, I just want to know where she is."

"Son, I can't tell you it's classified."

"I just want her back." Jason cried. "I've been waiting for three years for her to get her head straight."

"I've read the report form her Commanding Officer. She's settled and happy again."

"But, Im not." Jason yelled.

"You accused her of lying about the rape. She's moved on. You should too." The Admiral had been pleading with his son to move on, but he had been stuck in the same place for years.

Jason calmed, taking a seat on the other side of his father's desk. "I just want to hear it from her."

The Admiral exhaled deeply. "She's on DS9. But promise me one thing."

"What?" Jason asked.

"If she's happy, then you leave her be. Promise me."

"Ok." Jason held his hands up in defeat. "I just want to see it for myself." Jason left his father's office with a smile on his face. He was going to make Raina pay for what she had done. Her lies about the rape and her decision to keep another's child had all but ruined his career. He was going to get the truth out of her one way or another and expose her the fraud she was. He was going to tell every Starfleet officer what kind of traitorous whore she was. Sleeping with every Cardassian male she met and disclosing Federation secrets. She had to be stopped and stopping her would get him the credit he deserved.

* * *

Connections were a beautiful thing. It took all Dukat's to pull up as much information he could get on Raina Cavendish. He wanted to know what kind of woman he was dealing with. She was young, obviously not too young considering her rank in Starfleet. Her academy records would put most Cardassians to shame. Reading the evaluations told him that she wasn't just an ordinary Human. She had an above average intelligence and a logical mind. She had even invented technology that improved warp engine efficiency. She was also a feisty woman and an excellent diplomat. One Andorian Professor described her as, "having the most desirable traits of the dominant species all wrapped up in a human with a disarming beauty and warmth."

After just two interactions between them, he was already besotted with her. He'd gathered at least a dozen excuses as to why he needed to go to station. It was new experience for him. He was used to having women throw themselves at him, getting what he wanted. It was clear that Raina would make him work hard at seducing her and it made her more appealing. After their first meeting, Gul-Tar Keve had talked about her at length with Jom Alin, something that had Legate Kell steaming with anger. From the information shared between men, it was Raina that ended her relationship with the Legate, something that still soured his mood. Dukat hated Kell and getting Raina in bed was the ultimate in one-upmanship.

The door to his office opened and his wife stood in the doorway, looking furious. "You are only home for three days, are you planning on spending it with your family?"

"I have work to do, Athra." He snapped back.

"It is our only daughter's birthday and you've barely even said one word to her."

"I gave her a gift this morning before your family arrived and made it clear my presence was unwelcome."

Athra stormed towards his desk, knocking a bottle of Kanar on the floor. "You are the reason they despise you. Even your own mother hates you." She stopped her rant when the image of a human female appeared on a datapad. She picked it up despite Dukat trying to snatch it away. Even she'd admit that the human was a beauty. Long dark hair, bright blue eyes that radiated warmth and a beaming smile. She couldn't stop the laugh that broke free. "Fed up of Bajorans, are we? What makes you think you'd get a woman like this?"

Dukat snatched the pad out of her hand, slamming it down on the desk. "She is a suspected terrorist. I've been told to keep an eye on her."

"By studying her entire career?" She scoffed. "Forget her, dear. She's far too good for you." She stormed out, leaving her husband fuming at his desk.

Dukat and his wife never had a happy marriage. It was an arranged marriage between families to secure their standing in Cardassian society. He wasn't sure who was unfaithful first, but they both had lovers. His wife detested that fact that his lovers were never Cardassian. He'd always had Bajoran lovers, but now he was after a human. He loved his children and they loved him. They were only reason he stayed married to his wife. He had planned to his children to Lakarian city before he left, just so he could be with them without the atmosphere his wife and mother created during his presence.

Then he would he visit DS9 to seek out the woman who had already consumed so much of him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets dark towards the end.

Admiral John Cavendish wasn't normally the kind of man you would actively irritate. He had cultivated unlikely friendships with other races over his career. He was a blood brother to a Klingon general and even respected by Romulans and Vulcans. He had power, although he didn't like the idea of having so much control at his fingertips. To him, no man should ever have that much power, lest they may enjoy it too much.

Despite his contacts, his reputation, he still couldn't get the one thing he truly wanted. For the past year, he'd been trying to negotiate with the Cardassians to get his son's body back. It broke him to know that his second born laid frozen in a vault under a Cardassian war room. They had refused to give Commander Andrew Cavendish back to his family and the longer the negotiations went on, the more outrageous the demands. When they had demanded that Raina be turned over for questioning on Cardassia, that was the final straw for John. He desperately wanted his son home, but he refused to give his daughter up to make that happen. Andrew would have been disgusted with his father for even thinking of agreeing to it. He would find another way to deal with Cardassians that didn't go against everything that made him the man he was.

"You need to sleep, John." He smiled when he heard the dulcet voice of his wife and she stood in the doorway of his office. "You know the hallucinations get worse when you don't sleep."

"I'm expecting a call from our daughter."

"How is she?" Eleanor asked as she sat down on the corner of the desk, like she had a thousand times before.

"She's doing good. I think sending her to DS9 was the best idea that I've ever had."

Eleanor's smile faded. "Have you told our children about the diagnosis?"

"No." He said quickly. "They've been through so much. Losing Andrew hurt the three of them so deeply."

"What did the doctor say?"

"I have maybe 20 years with treatment. Although, I will have to retire eventually." It hit him hard to know that he'd have to give up on his career sooner than he wanted. He was only 68 and otherwise healthy. He had many years to give to Starfleet, the idea of retirement and waiting for an agonising death just made him angry. The only plus side to death was seeing his beloved wife again. It had been a decade since Eleanor passed away. She had been leading a team exploring potential settlement sites when hostile aliens attacked, leaving Eleanor with devastating injuries. She survived another eight months before succumbing to those injuries. Only two comforts came from that day, where she got to say goodbye to their children, and she would no longer be in immense pain daily. "When the time comes, I'll spend as much of my time left with our children and grandchildren."

The computer bleeped, indicating an attempt to connect. "I think that may be our daughter."

John put on a brave face, determined not to let his illness rule his time with the ones he loved the most. "Hello, my little supernova."

Raina groaned, but a laugh bubbled up from underneath. "Dad, I'm 25. Not little anymore."

"I know, but as my youngest and only daughter, you'll always be my little supernova."

"So, how did the negotiations with the Cardassians go?"

John sighed, biting back his anger. "Badly. They refuse to return him."

"What was the latest demand?"

A growl escape from him as he lost control of his anger. Looking down at his hands, he realised they had started to shake. "They want to take you to Cardassia for questioning."

Raina slammed her fist down on the desk. "I've already been questioned by Gul-Tar Keve." She paused, wiping away a tear that had slipped down her cheek. "If they want to question me again, then I'll do it on DS9. I'll answer any question they have if it means Andrew gets to go home."

"I can't ask you to do that, Raina." The thought of turning her over to the Cardassians made him nauseous. After everything those people put their family through, it felt like he was letting them win.

"You aren't, Dad. I'm saying I voluntarily agree to interrogation."

John let out a shaky sigh. "I'll set up the meeting. Please be careful, Raina."

"I always am, Dad."

As her face disappeared from the screen, his emotions took full effect and he burst into heart-breaking sobs. It was only the caressing touch of his wife that soothed him. "Our girl, she's a strong one." She reassured him.

Once he calmed down, he smiled at his wife. "She gets that from you."

Raina waited outside of the meeting room, mentally preparing herself for the onslaught. She knew that she agreed to this, but this would be different from the last time. She would have to be honest over her actions from past five years, from the rape to her sexual addiction. There were still times when the sight of a Cardassian brought the memories flooding back to her. Now she was going into a room alone with ten Cardassians, all male just to get her brother back home. For him, she'd get through it any way she could.

She walked into the meeting room; her head held high. She knew that any weakness from them would be exploited to the fullest and she wasn't prepared to give them any ammunition. Taking a seat directly opposite Gul-Tar Keve, she placed a datapad on the table and waited for him to speak. The urge to look at Gul Dukat was strong, but she managed to resist it. One look from him would leave her weak; one thing she couldn't be.

"Lieutenant Cavendish, I hope your arrogance will be reigned in during these proceedings. The recovery of your brother's body is dependant on the success of this meeting. Understood?" When she nodded, his body language changed to a more relaxed stance. "The rest of the committee will introduce themselves if they have reason to speak to you. Gul Evek, you requested to go first?"

The man nodded before turning to Raina. "Lieutenant. Can you please tell me how you know a Bajoran by the name of, Paboc Cesi?"

That was a name that she hadn't heard in a while. "Cesi and I met at Starfleet Academy. We became friends. I'm sure you know by now that he joined the Marquis. I had a little communication with him for a while afterwards. Then he told me that our friendship could have negative consequences for me."

"When was the last time you had interactions with him?"

"About four years ago." The smile in his face made her nervous.

"Were you aware that your brother had communicated with him several times prior to his death."

She felt the blood drain from her face. "No, I did not."

"They had discussed the names of three Cardassians. Gul Tretol, Glinn Prenn and Glinn Rissim. Are you familiar with these men?"

"No comment." Was all she said, barely maintaining her control.

A familiar voice asked if he could interrupt and it made her physically sick. "Lieutenant. There was incident during your second year at Starfleet academy. In which your Professor was killed, and you spent three months recovering in hospital. Were there any Cardassians involved?"

Raina made herself look at Legate Kell, anger burning in her eyes. "No comment." She spat. He was goading her, trying to get a reaction. During their affair she had told him about the incident but neglected to go into any detail. Outside of her family, only four people knew as close to the full story that she could bear to admit.

"Lieutenant. Your insolence will not convince the Cardassian government to release Commander Cavendish's body." Keve warned. "Did you know those men?"

She nodded her head as her tears dropped on to the glass table underneath her.

"How?" He asked.

"They raped me." She whispered. Just uttering the words made her anger return, burning more intensely than before. She forced herself back in the chair, finally looking at Legate with wet, angry eyes as if she was daring him to say something, only he stayed silent, which infuriated her more. She turned to Keve, smiling inside when she could see his nervousness. "For five days straight, I was raped over and over. They penetrated me with anything they felt like, even weapons." She snarled. "It was a game to them. To see which one could make me scream the loudest."

A man she'd never met before interrupted her. "Please stick to the facts."

She gave him a dark smile. He looked uncomfortable and she got sick satisfaction from that. "Don't…interrupt." She snarled. "They tortured me, strangling me until I was nearly unconscious. When I was rescued, my own father didn't even recognise me. When I woke from my coma three months later, my ordeal was still going on. You want know why?"

"I don't think it's important." Keve stuttered, uncharacteristically shaken.

"I was pregnant and agonised over whether I could ultimately love that child. I realised I could love her, and I did love her. The damage done to me meant I couldn't carry her, and she died inside of me. I may never be able to carry children again." Raina braced her hands on the table and stood up, leaning over the table to Keve. "That's why my brother went after those men. He wanted justice for me because he knew Cardassia wouldn't give a fuck about some Terran whore. Some of you are probably thinking that I got exactly what I deserved. Most of you have probably raped a few Bajorans yourselves."

Legate Kell stood up, fury all over his face. "I told you that she was unstable. Accusing us of such an outrageous crime."

Raina stood up fully, laughing bitterly. "Not so unstable when you were fucking me, Kell. You had no complaints then."

"I've had no such interactions with you, Human."

She stalked down the side of the table towards him, her mouth twisted up into a mix of a smile and a sneer. "You know how many times you laid in bed next to me sleeping I came close to killing you? I wanted to plunge a knife into your neck and watch you bleed to death. How easy it was to have men like you tied to a bed, to have such control. Listening to you beg me for mercy was the biggest turn on that I've ever experienced. When I found out that two of these men who raped me died, I didn't need you anymore. "

Raina moved back to Keve, slamming her hands down on the table. "Tell Gul Tretol, when I catch up to him, what he did to me will pale in comparison to what I will do to him." She stood up, slipping her professional mask back on. "I expect my brother on the next available transport from Cardassia. I will not take no for an answer." With that she calmly walked out of the room.

She managed to get back to her quarters without falling apart in front of anyone. She vomited several times into the toilet as her body shook from the adrenaline running through her veins. All of that which she kept bottled up exploded in a spectacular way. Five years of pain, anger and sadness hit her all at once. Curling up on the floor of her bathroom, she cried herself to sleep, wanting the galaxy to release it's suffocating grip on her.


	5. Chapter 5

Raina paced outside of the infirmary trying to will herself to go in. She had been struggling to sleep and she felt her mind going back to very dark places. Sisko had noticed the change in her, after a lot of convincing, she finally admitted that she was struggling with her mental health since her meeting with the Cardassians. He had decided to take her off duty for a week on the condition that she went to see Julian. She suspected he would let her have the time off anyway, since her brother's body was due to be delivered to DS9 in the next twelve hours. She would escort the body off the transport and make sure he was treated with the respect he deserved.

She finally walked into the infirmary, spotting Julian working away at his desk. "Hi Julian."

He turned surprised to see her. As he got up he stumbled slightly causing his cheeks to heat up. "Raina. What can I do for you?" He managed to keep his professionalism going.

"Sisko had ordered me here." She said as she took a seat on the bed. "I'm not sleeping, and I've been having some dark thoughts."

Julian frowned. "What kind of dark thoughts?"

"I'd rather not go into that. I just…can't focus on anything."

He scanned her, occasionally catching her eye. "Well, it seems like you have a chemical imbalance in your brain. I can give you something for it and something to help you sleep."

"Thanks Julian."

He stood in front of her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If you ever want to talk, I'm here for you."

Raina smiled at him, placing her hand over his. "Thanks. You want to have dinner with me tonight?"

"I'd love to. Meet in Quark's at 20.00?"

She hopped of the bed, standing almost nose to nose with the Doctor. "See you tonight." She left the infirmary grinning from ear to ear. Julian was exactly the kind of man she needed to surround herself with. He was charming, sensitive and intelligent. She hadn't dated a human since her ex fiancée. Maybe it was time for her to get over her fear of intimacy and trust her romantic side again.

Julian stood at the bar in Quark's waiting his date to arrive. He had made an effort and dressed up. He had once overhead Jadzia and Raina talking, in which the latter had said she liked a smartly dressed man who smelled nice. He heard a group of men making some appreciative sounds near the entrance to Quark's. When he turned he understood why. Raina walked in wearing a short back dress and silver heels. She always looked beautiful, even in uniform, but in casual clothes she made more than a few jaws hit the floor. He stood up as she strolled towards him. "Raina, you look incredible."

She beamed as she fiddled with the collar of his jacket. "You look rather dashing, Julian. Let's have dinner, then I have a surprise."

After dinner, they walked hand in hand to the holodeck. With closed eyes, Julian waited for her to start up her holodeck program. He could feel her hands on his side and her body pressed into his back. "I'm getting nervous here." He chuckled.

"You can open them." She whispered.

He opened his eyes, immediately amazed by the view of London in front of him. "This is London."

"This is the terrace view that I had every night for two years." She walked to the railings, looking down at the city below. "This is my happy place. I thought a fellow brit could appreciate it."

"Beautiful. Do you dance?" He extended his hand to her, holding her gaze.

"I do." She took his hand, allowing him to lead her to the middle. "This song was my mother's favourite."

They moved together in time to the music, Raina singing quietly along with her head rested on his shoulder. "If Quark knew you could sing like that, he'd have you on the stage every night." He teased.

She chuckled, her breath tickling his neck. "I haven't sung on stage in years."

"Well it's just us now. Please continue." He closed his eyes as her melodious voice penetrated his soul. She was a woman full of surprises, beautiful, talented, graceful and strong willed. But he knew that she was guarded and didn't let those down so easily. She had once told Jadzia that she didn't believe in love, but it seemed that she wanted to believe in it. She hadn't been in a relationship for four years after her heart was broken. He didn't want to push her into something she didn't want, and he wasn't sure himself what he wanted. He would be content to be close friends and see what grew from that. "You know Garak teased me mercilessly about tonight."

Raina laughed into his shoulder, pulling away to look at him. "I bet he was jealous. I never know which one of us he is interested in."

"I think it might be you. He finds you very attractive."

"Julian, all men find me attractive. Some of them just choose to hide it."

"The men in Quark's tonight certainly didn't hide it. I may have a very busy day tomorrow, thanks to you."

"Awwww. I'm sure I could make it up to you." She grinned wickedly as he dipped her.

He held her in that position for a few seconds. "Serenade me tomorrow night in Quark's. I'm sure Garak would love to hear you sing."

"You aren't going to drop it, are you?" She pouted.

"Never. You have the voice of an angel." He spun her, catching her as she stumbled slightly.

"Not what I meant, Julian." She huffed. "I'm fond of Garak but I have no sexual desire for him…" She laughed as an Ill-timed idea popped into her head. "Next time, we do this, we should invite him. I'm eager to know more about that man."

"You can dazzle him with your talents and persuasion techniques."

Their flirty banter was interrupted by Sisko over the comm. "Sisko to Cavendish."

"Cavendish here."

"Come to the docking bay. The transport has arrived."

"On my way." It surprised her how easy the tears flowed. "I need to go."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"Please." She cried.

Julian kept his arm around her as they walked to the docking ring. Sisko was already there along with Garak, Dax, O'Brien and Kira. "Raina, they will only allow you on the ship." He told her as he gave her the Federation flag.

She was led to the cargo bay, where some familiar faces were gathered. She allowed herself a brief glimpse of Dukat as she could feel his gaze burning through her. The coffin was in the middle on a platform. It was hard to accept that her brother, life and soul of the party was now still and silent forever. Silence and Andrew just didn't mix. Someone she assumed was a doctor stood by the coffin and to her surprise, she could see sympathy on her face. "Can you open it?" The Doctor nodded. Raina felt a stab to the heart when she saw him. It made it real seeing him there. Her shaky hand stroked his hair, placing the other hand on his chest. "Andrew, I understood why you did it. But I need you more than I needed revenge. How am I supposed to get through this without you?" Raina jumped when she felt a hand on her back. She turned to see her father's pained face. "Sorry, Dad." She fell into his arms, sobbing into his shoulder.

"He's with your mother and Ellie now. He won't be alone." He soothed, summoning his other two sons, Scott and James. "Get Sisko, boys so we can carry Andrew out."

Together, father and daughter laid the flag over the coffin. The Admiral was angry that the Cardassians hadn't the decency to give them privacy. It was bad enough that they'd kept his body for a year. "I hope you are happy now. Gloating in my family's misery." He spat.

"Dad!" Raina snapped. "Don't you dare stand there over Andrew's body and argue about politics."

John turned to his daughter; guilt etched on his face. "You're right, sweetheart."

It had all been blur for Raina after Andrew's body was transferred to DS9. At some point she had decided to go back to the ship. It was surprisingly easy to get in Dukat's quarters, something she would tease him about. Looking around the quarters she found evidence that Dukat had a personality. A picture of his children sat pride of place on his desk. He had a kotra set, but that didn't surprise her that much. Sitting on his deck, she picked up a datapad, wondering what he liked to read. She laughed when she found her Starfleet profile had been view dozens of times. The door to his quarters opened, a rather stressed out Dukat walked through. The look of surprise on his face made breaking into his quarters worth it. "Hi there." She smiled.

His mood changed immediately. "This is a surprise."

"A pleasant one, I hope."

"Pleasant, yes. But I have a burning question." He sat down at his desk. "How and why are you here?"

She moved swinging her legs up on the desk, turning to face him. "Easy and I wanted to see what kind of man you were."

He smirked, leaning back in his chair. "What kind of man do you think I am."

"You are the kind of man…..who wants to be adored. It's the insecurities that make it so." She took the glass of Kanar that he poured her and swirled it in her hand. "You don't love often, but when you do it's almost obsessively so. Passionately and protectively too." Taking a swig of her drink, so let the sweetness rest on her tongue for a little while. "You are overconfident in your abilities and that makes people not like you. You don't suffer fools and you think other species are beneath." She put the glass down on the desk, moving closer to him. "You think you are so irresistible, but that part might be a little true."

He closed the gap between, so close that he could smell her flowery scent. "You are very observant. When do I get to break into your quarters and go through your belongings?"

Raina caressed his face, running her thumb over his lips. "Whenever you want but do try to surprise me."

"I'll do my best."

With ease, she slipped off the desk, strolling towards the door. "I must go before I do something silly, like trying to kiss you."

He chuckled, remaining seated. "I wouldn't object."

"I know, handsome. You have to put in more work before you can consider me seduced."

"Well, I'll best get started on it then." He watched as she winked before slipping out of his quarters. He was going to have fun seducing her. He was also going to enjoy being the one she seduced.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After watching DS9 re runs again, Dukat is still distractingly attractive.

Surrounded by women, Dukat still couldn't shake a certain human from his mind. Even as beautiful Cardassian woman draped themselves all over him, he couldn't help but imagine it was her.

He frequented the gentleman's club near headquarters almost nightly when he was back on Cardassia, as most military men did. It was a meeting place where men gathered to brag about their "conquests." He had plenty to brag about himself. He didn't need to try to have women fall at his feet. But, he still felt an urge to pleasure himself every night, almost obsessively so about Raina.

He dismissed the women when several acquaintances entered, making their way to his table. "Evening gentleman."

"Enjoying the sights, cousin?" Gul Macet asked as he took a seat, pouring some Kanar.

"I've enjoyed better." He shrugged, drinking his own drink.

A younger, newly minted Gul joined the table deep in conversation with an older Gul. "I'm not lying. She was Starfleet."

The tail end of the conversation caught the attention of the gathering men, including Dukat. The older man scoffed. "So, tell us the story, Javar." He took a seat with the others, waiting with sceptical interest.

"She was human and the most beautiful creature I'd ever seen." He said wistfully. "She carried herself like a Cardassian but moved like an Orion slave girl. So very demanding, my hands always had to be touching her and that mouth of hers…..it was perfection."

"And do you remember this woman's name?" Another asked.

"Lieutenant Raina Cavendish." He sighed. "I heard others calling her "One night Raina."

Dukat's interest will now fully piqued. "Why do they call her that?"

"You never get more than one night with her." Legate Kell had been listening in on the conversation until his chance to brag presented itself. "Unless you are me, in which you've had many satisfying nights."

"And then she came to her senses." Dukat drawled out with smug satisfaction, watching the man walk away with fury.

"From the rumours I've heard, she's got a weak spot for Cardassians."

"From what I've seen, she's got a weak spot for Dukat." The older Gul quipped. "She's got you in her crosshairs, ready to strike."

"We all know his tastes are Bajoran. He couldn't fully appreciate the delights of Lieutenant Cavendish."

"Humans are very different." Javar smirked at Dukat. "A lot more fun too."

"Are you going to sample her delights, cousin?" Macet asked.

Dukat scoffed. "Do you think me a mad man? Of course, I will."

* * *

With Kanar flowing through his veins, he decided that he'd go to his quarters on his ship for the night instead of home. Hearing all the stories from four different officers, left him both amused and irritated. He felt possessive and protective over her, listening to those men talk about her as if she were some whore had really fuelled his fury, but mostly his desire. He wanted her, so far maintaining control of it. Little by little his control over himself slipped away.

Opening his desk draw, he pulled out a pair of lace panties from the back. He had found the lingerie hidden on his bed moments after Raina left his quarters. Occasionally, she would send him messages, filled with innuendo but never direct with intent. It was all part of the game she was playing with him, to see how far she could push before he struck. He would never admit it, but he used the panties to masturbate with. He would call out her name, voice heavy with lust and need.

Only tonight he needed more, needed to hear her, see her. Fortunately, he managed to get hold of her schedule, so knew where she'd most like be. Judging by the time on Cardassia, he knew she'd likely be in her quarters ready to sleep. Turning to his computer, he found her ID comm and sent a connection request. After a few minutes, his computer pinged, telling him the connection had been accepted. Within seconds, her beautiful face filled the screen. "I hope I haven't interrupted you, Lieutenant." He decided to play it nonchalant, but she would see right though the façade.

"I was just about to go to bed, but I don't mind this kind of interruption." She smiled coyly. "Have you called to tell me how much you've missed me?"

He held up the panties so she could see them. "I wanted to ask about these."

She chuckled, leaning back in her chair. "What did you want to know?"

"Is this standard fare for Starfleet officers?"

"It's standard fare for this Starfleet officer. Do you like them?"

He hummed in thought. "I do. Do you wear them under your uniform?

She shook her head. "No. Never know what situation will call for stripping off uniform. Don't want to ruin my best lingerie." She stood up slightly to gave him a view of her silky sleepwear. "As you can see, I only wear it when I want people to see it or when nobody will."

A low growl escaped him, making her grin wickedly. "I've spent an evening listening to my fellow Cardassians discussing your sexual prowess at length. Did you wear it for them?" He was starting to sound like jealous youth, but he didn't care. She was his or at least she would be his.

She stretched her body, arms high above her head, giving him a teasing sight. "Is somebody jealous?" She teased. "When I fucked all those men, it was always at opportune moments and normally when I was in uniform. Do you want the full story?"

"To hear your voice, I would happily listen to you quoting the prime directive."

She laughed loudly at his cliched compliment. "I was due to marry a man before my life went to shit. He hated things like that, and like the stupid girl that I was, I never wore them or anything that showed skin. After his betrayal, I decided that no man would tell me who I was again. I wear what I want, I say what I want, and I fuck who I want."

"And yet, you are still lauded as one of Starfleet's finest." He shook his head in disbelief.

"There is a reason for that, my sexy Cardassian. But, enough of the pleasantries. What do you really want?"

He knew it wouldn't be long before she saw straight through his overt politeness. She was a woman who would rather get down to business when it came to intimate matters. "Listening to all those men talk about you, it's made me feel rather possessive. They've had something I want."

"You mean you want to have sex with me." She cooed innocently. "Why didn't you just say?"

"Stop teasing me." He warned.

"So, when did you decide that you must ruin me?"

"First meeting." He admitted. "I wanted to have you on that desk and make the others watch."

Raina felt her body heat up. That image ran through her head at warp speed before shooting straight down to her groin. She had done the sleeping with two Cardassians at once already but letting a man like Dukat use her to assert his dominance over the others made her ready to fling herself over the edge. Only she didn't want him to know that. "But what if they wanted to join in?"

"I'd kill them all, then I'd have you screaming my name…..again." He asserted with lust and arrogance. "You seem a little on edge, _Lieutenant."_

"You know, Dukat, I'm going make you eat your arrogance."

"And how do you attend to make me do that?" He smirked.

"Oh…. A lady never gives away her secrets. Just know, if we do it, there will be no going back for you." She blew him a kiss before she hung up on him, leaving him frustrated.

Even with the distance, she had him desperate for release. She teased him without mercy, knew exactly what she was doing and how to make game last longer. He was running out of control. If he could, he'd have the crew back onboard and a course set for DS9. Then he had a thought. She was a woman of taste and like nice things, she deserved nice things. He was a man of means, a lot of means, and he'd give her anything she wanted.

* * *

Frustratingly, it took more than two weeks to get back to DS9. Central Command had kept him patrolling the Demilitarised zone. It was only when he was called to patrol near Cardassian/Bajoran space that he could dock at the station. Unfortunately, when he arrived, Raina had been off the station to explore an L class planet. He was sorely disappointed, but her absence meant he could explore her quarters in a way she explored his.

He entered her cabin, immediately greeted with the floral scent that normal followed in her wake. Everything was neat and organised. She had a seating area in the middle of the room, with a big bed on the left far wall and a desk next to the left far wall facing into the room. Decorative items were scattered about the room, plants and artwork giving life to the space. Approaching her desk, he picked up a metal photo frame. It was picture of Raina with four other human males. He assumed that it was her father and three brothers. Placing it back, he picked up another, this time it displayed a younger Raina with an attractive older woman, obviously her mother.

It was apparent that her family were everything to her. On her desk were two comm badges sat fixed to a wooden plaque, with two names and dates in front of each one. Her mother and brother both killed in action. Her personal space was dedicated to keeping memories of those she loved the most around her.

He moved to her bed, taking a seat and chuckling quietly at the stuffed toy that sat on the bed. She left a datapad on her bedside cabinet, for night-time reading just as he did. Everything was as he expected it to be. But she was missing just one thing. He placed a small package on her bed, before straightening out the covers he disturbed when he sat down. He left quickly, taking care to make sure no one saw him leave. He didn't want Raina to be faced with awkward questions about a Cardassian moving freely in and out of her quarters.

After a night of monitoring his crew so they didn't overdrink and cause a scene, Dukat decided it was time to head back to the ship for some peace and quiet. Between his crew's rowdy behaviour and the thumping monotonous beat of the music, he needed a red leaf tea and the quiet hum of the ship's engine. As he entered his quarters, his attention was caught by an interloper, laying on his sofa. She wore a black silk robe that had slid up her legs, showing just how long they were.

"Its about time." Raina whined. "I was getting very lonely."

Dukat's mind momentarily shutdown as she got up, standing almost nose to nose with him. "I thought you were off exploring."

"Oh, I was." She sighed, placing her hands on his chest. "I got back two hours ago to find a gift waiting for me. It would be most impolite if I didn't thank the giver in person."

"How long are you planning to thank me for?" He asked, voice heavy with lust.

She grinned wickedly, pushing him down into an armchair. "Oh, all night and some of the morning." Her voice was low and her eyes burning with intent as she straddled his lap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the next chapter will be very NSFW.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I need to thank [Tinsnip](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinsnip/pseuds/tinsnip) for their Lessons on Cardassian biology. It helped so much.
> 
> I made up these two words for this story:  
Jiia'lin - A term of endearment for a male romantic interest.  
Ciia'lin - A term of endearment for a female romantic interest.
> 
> Both words are similiar to what you would call someone you had a romantic interest in such as, love, babe, lover etc. Although it's not so cutesy since it's they are Cardassian words. I like to think of it as meaning, "My one," or something similiar.

"Tell me something, Jiia'lin."She held his face in her hands. "Am I a game to you?"

Her use of a Cardassian term of endearment shocked him. She was also self-assured, but to see her looking so insecure made him uncomfortable. It wasn't that her emotions made him feel that way, it was the realisation that she knew that men saw her that way; as if she were a toy to play with and discard at will. He palmed the flesh of her clothed hips, pulling closer on his lap. With one hand running through her hair and the other caressing her cheek, he felt compelled to do something most un-cardassian. "Ciia'lin, you are like nothing I've ever known before."

That was the first time she had felt genuine honesty from a Cardassian. It was all she needed from him at that moment. She pressed her lips to his, hungry and possessive as their tongues found each other, teasing and exploring. She whimpered against his mouth as his hands slipped under her robe, kneading the flesh of her thighs.

He hadn't expected her skin to feel so soft in his hands. The way it moulded into his palms like it was made to measure. But there was a strength behind the softness. He was pushed against the back of the chair as she continued to kiss him greedily. He had been with many women, but he'd never felt so much passion from a lover before. He was convinced he could her voice in his head telling him to give into it. He knew there was no going back from this.

It was like she could read his turmoil, pulling back from that breath-taking kiss. She studied his face, insecure once again.

He felt mournful from the loss of contact. He was already too far to go back. She strolled arrogantly into his life, challenging and teasing him. She had shaken him to his very core. "You win!" He conceded before catching her lips with his again. Their laboured breaths fell perfectly in rhythm as their deep, heavy kissing continued. He grew tired of the position they were in. He wanted to have her naked and pinned beneath him. "Legs, beautiful." He moaned between kisses.

She caught his meaning and wrapped her legs around his waist. She braced herself as he stood up to his full height with her in his arms. "What a strong man you are." She teased as they tumbled onto the bed in one tangled heap. She rolled her hips against his, smirking as she grunted into her neck. When he moved, his chest plate caught her in the abdomen, making her hiss in pain. She squirmed underneath him, pushing him up. "Take that damn thing off." She demanded.

He stood up, grinning down at the beautiful human laid on the bed panting. "Is that an order?"

"Does it need to be?" She asked, her lips turning up into a devious smirk. "Because I'll play that game."

A chuckle rumbled in his chest as he freed himself of his uniform, discarding it on the floor at the foot of the bed. Joining her on the bed again, he sat on his knees between her legs, caressing the flesh of her thighs. "You are rather divine, Lieutenant."

"You haven't seen all of me yet." She sighed, blissfully as he his fingertips teased her skin. "But I taste even better."

Without replying, he tugged at the cord of her robe, pulling it free until it fell away. He pulled the robe apart to expose her naked body to him. "So beautiful." He whispered.

"Touch me." She begged.

He ran his hands down her chest, his nails dragged across her skin. She arched her back in response, her eyes fluttering to a close. "So responsive to my touch." He pinned her arms at the side of her head as he pressed his body against hers. "What do you want from me?" He asked.

"You." She answered quickly before she craned her neck up to kiss him. She felt like she was drowning in him. He engulfed her senses and she needed more from him.

He pressed a kiss on her collarbone, savouring the taste of her skin on his lips. The desire to taste every inch of her was a strong one. She let out the most sinful moan when kissed the valley between her breasts, her body tingling with the anticipation. To have a woman so open to his exploration meant sex for him a more thrilling experience. He pinched one of her nipples gently, delighting in the way her breath caught in her throat. She caught his eyes as he turned his gaze upwards, watching her intently as he sealed his mouth against the pink peak, flicking his tongue back and forth. Almost instinctively she arched her back, pushing herself to the source of pleasure, squirming as ministrations sent shockwaves down to her groin. Quickly, she grabbed his hand and thrust it between her legs, hoping he would catch on.

Exploring a lover's genitals wasn't something that he normally did, but what research he did, it seemed that with humans, there wasn't much that were off limits. He inquisitively probed at her sex, testing her. When she let out a strangled cry, squirming away from his touch, he stopped to give her a worried look.

"Not yet." She breathed out. She reached down to show him where to touch her, just edging the tip of her finger inside of her.

Taking his cue from her, he did the same, entering a single finger inside of her. He marvelled at her warm and wet she felt. "How easily pleased you are." He purred in her ear as he slowly pumped his finger in and out of her, making her mewl against him. "This bodes well for me."

Raina scoffed as she shifted her hips against his hand. "You are only at slightly pleasurable. I take nothing short of mind blowing."

Having a challenge issued to him during sexual contact was a brand new experience, but he was Gul Dukat, he'd never back down from a challenge. Remembering her reaction to his exploration earlier, his thumb probed her sex, finding that spot again. "What is this little thing?" He asked as he gave it the lightest of touch, amused at the way it made her breath hitch.

"It's called a "clitoris." A groan tumbled out her as he continued to lazily tease it as his teeth nipped along her collarbone. "It's very sensitive."

"And does it like attention?"

A throaty chuckle escaped her. "It does, but not with fingers."

"Then how?" He demanded, as he shifted to one side, leaning on his outstretched arm.

"Get your head down between my legs and you'll soon find out." She teased. "Words sound so nice when they fall off that tongue of yours."

He growled lowly, biting at her neck as punishment for her insolence. He kissed an invisible path down her chest to her abdomen before he positioned himself between her legs. Pushing her legs apart he took time to cast his eye over her sex. It was completely different to what he had seen before. Cardassian women had everything all neatly inside them and Bajoran women, though not dissimilar from Cardassian women, had their genitalia outside. Human women it appeared were more complex and had various more ways of pleasing them.

Raina had a sudden urge to kick him away and clamp her legs shut. His scrutiny was making her uncomfortable and increasingly frustrated. "Dukat, I'm not a bloody warp drive manifold. I'm fucking horny, so either get your tongue in my vagina or get out. I've got plenty other men who'd love to trade places with you."

He barked out a laugh at her demanding. He could very well believe that many men would give up all their worth to be where he was. He didn't know if he'd ever the opportunity to have her this way again, so he wanted to make it last as long as he could. "What a demanding little flower you are."

That sentence sent her blood pressure rising. "Fuck you!" She spat.

"I wish you would." He retorted. His laugh was halted quickly when she pushed him away. She started to pleasure herself, palming her right breast as her left hand teased at her pink folds. It was when she tasted her arousal on her fingers while her eyes locked on this that sparked the animalistic lust in him. He had two choices; watch her bring pleasure to herself or give her the pleasure that she desperately wanted. He forcefully pushed her hand away, giving her thighs teasing nips with his teeth before he ran his tongue experimentally over her sex. It was when she shuddered with pleasure that spurred him on. The smell and taste of her arousal made his Cho'Ch pulse with desperate need. But his turn would come. He wanted her to shatter under ministrations before he allowed himself to have her fully.

At first, it was teasing, subtle strokes of his tongue. He tasted every inch of her, tested her reactions. "Yes…." She breathed out in encouragement. "More." She groaned when his tongue teased at the entrance to her vagina.

He gripped her thighs to keep her still when he his movements became more insistent. Her breathing changed from long sighs to short pants. She tasted incredible on his tongue, better than his favourite red leaf tea. Part of him wondered how many other men had her this way but he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind. It was all about now and them.

"Please…..need more." She begged as she fisted the bed sheets, undulating her hips towards his face.

He acquiesced to her demands and flicked his tongue over her clit, smiling inwardly at the long breathy groan that escaped her. "Beg!" He demanded.

"Please…." She cried, desperate to orgasm.

"Good girl."

She arched her back as his tongue engulfed her clit, suckling on that little pearl. His tongue was forceful, setting off all those nerve endings at once. She could feel it building into something that she hadn't felt in a long time. "Ahhhh, yes…..right there." She cried, her breathing becoming erratic and shallow. "Fuck!" She roared as stars exploded in front of her eyes and she orgasmed hard.

Dukat crawled back up her body, peppering her skin with kisses. He studied her as she came down from her orgasm high, her eyes glazed over and her breathing uneven and heavy. "You look beautiful after an orgasm." He purred.

She laughed loudly, pressing her body against his. "Only after an orgasm?"

He rolled his eyes before giving her a tender kiss. "You always look beautiful."

She kissed him back eagerly, raking her nails down his neck scales, making him purr almost. "I want you to fuck me." She moaned against his lips.

"Such vulgar language from a beautiful creature." He tutted as he his nudged the end of his cock against her entrance.

"Fuck you!" She bit into his neck scales. She released him with a gasp when he slid into her further.

"I'm going to fuck you." He growled, sliding into her fully. His eyes clamped shut at the blissful feeling of being inside of her. A gasp of shock escaped her, and he stilled. "What?"

"You are bigger than I expected."

"You are tighter than I expected."

When he started to grind against her, she just lay frustrated. He was obviously getting pleasure from it, but she wasn't. This was pretty much how it went with all the other Cardassian men she had been with. None of them had ever made her orgasm so he won on that score, but she was a woman who enjoyed the intimacy and movement of sex. She enjoyed having a man pound into her relentlessly until she came. She was sick of selfish sex and she had to say something. "Dukat, stop…now."

He stilled, leaning up to look at her, worried he'd gone too far. "What's wrong?"

"This isn't working for me." She kissed him gently to reassure him. "The grinding doesn't feel good to me." The confusion on his face frustrated her more. "In human fucking, there is a lot of hip movement and thrusting."

"I don't understand."

She grunted in annoyance, fearing the mood was about to be lost. "Pull out but not all the way, then re-enter me." He did as she asked making her gasp as the end of his cock grazed against her walls. "Like that."

He was still unconvinced, but he was willing to do it her way. So, he started to thrust in and out of her tentatively, unsure if he would hurt her. He started to settle into an easy rhythm when she kissed him passionately, groaning again his mouth with each stroke. "Like that?" He grunted.

"Oh fuck, yes….." She moaned into his ear. "You feel so good inside me." She wrapped her legs around his hips, digging her heals into his buttocks, her hips matching him stroke for stroke.

He hissed as her movements made the angle change, so the ridges of his cock dragged against the walls of her vagina with each thrust. But it wasn't enough, and he needed more. He pinned her arms above her head and increased the tempo. She threw her head back, exposing her neck to him so he took advantage, nipping at the delicate skin as he pounded her.

"Harder…" She demanded. "Fuck me harder."

He growled against her throat as he made deep, hard thrusts. Her cries of encouragement were as nearly erotic as being inside. She was loud and vocal. He was getting close, but he held it back as she was close too.

"Harder, I'm so fucking close." She screamed out.

Their movements fell out of sync as they both moved near to the edge. Both getting breathless and hoarse from all the frantic cries they made. Raina freed her arms to pull him close. "Ahhhhh, keep going…god!" She wept as waves of orgasm crashed over her. "Yes…..yes…..Skrain" She cried as she came hard once again.

Her walls tightened around his cock in the most mind blowing way and he lost control. He came inside her, yelling in a Cardassian dialect that the translators couldn't translate. He made a few more small thrusts before his Cho'Ch expanded inside of her unexpectedly, meaning he couldn't move. "Ah." He breathed out, laughing slightly. "It'll take a few minutes for this to…relax."

"What is it?" She looked down between as she felt his expansion within her.

"I may have enjoyed myself too much and I expanded in you."

She threw her head back with laughter, finally understanding what was happening. "I'm on birth control."

He sighed in relief, finally feeling his cock soften enough he could slip out of her. "You were incredible." He sighed as he slumped into the empty spot beside her.

"So were you." She chuckled, huffing out a shaky breath. "It's been a while since I've achieved multiple orgasms."

They stayed in comfortable silence for a few minutes until Dukat pulled her into his arms. "Stay the night?"

She knew that he phrased it as a question, but it was more of a demand. Fortunately, she had no desire to leave. "Ok." She yawned. "I'm not on duty tomorrow so it's your lucky night."

He pulled the bed covers up over them and ordered the computer to turn the lights off. He felt her body relax completely, telling him that she was asleep. With a final kiss to her forehead he too fell into a deep sleep. He wasn't much of a sleeper but with her in his arms, he felt content enough to do so.


	8. Chapter 8

It had been a lazy morning for Dukat as he laid in bed reading, with his human bedfellow still sleeping soundly beside him. He liked having her head resting on his chest and her arm draped lazily over his stomach. His eyes occasionally strayed to her when she let out a sleepy whimper. She seemed completely at ease with him, so much so that he couldn't bring himself to wake her. She had done something to him. He yearned to have her close and wanted to keep her close. Still, he wondered what game she was playing with him. After all the stories he heard, how she picked up and set aside so many men with ease, an unfamiliar feeling of insecurity overtook him. The feeling subsided when she moved herself closer to him, nuzzling her cheek into his chest. "Morning." He said, nonchalantly.

"Shhhhh." She groaned. "I don't do this often, let me enjoy it."

"Wake up in a lover's arms?" He discarded what he was reading and angled his body towards her.

"My ex fiancé was the last man I woke up with."

"Why not since?" He asked. There was a story there and he was keen to hear it.

"I don't trust men." She stated plainly as she sat up. "Men hurt me, beat me, raped me, broke my heart and have been exceptionally cruel to me." She cleared her throat when she realised she had said too much.

"Yet, you are still here with me?"

She turned back to look at him, almost frustrated by his unreadable face. "Yes, against my better judgement, I am." She moved to get off the bed. "I should go."

He pulled her back so fell flat on her back against the mattress. He used part of his body weight to keep her pinned down. "I don't want you to go."

"Why not?"

"Because I'd miss you." With those four words, his lips were on hers. She welcomed his tongue into her mouth, kissing him back with the same need they felt the night before.

She shifted her hips and he easily slid into her, never losing the connection of their lips. They had no time for foreplay, instead the need to have each other was too much to ignore. He moved slowly, just relishing in the feeling of being inside of her. Her fingers wove into his hair, gently tugging at it. Eventually, their lips parted, and he buried his face into her necking, taking in the sweet scent of her skin. She uttered words of encouragement in his ear, urging him to pick up the pace, an order he eagerly complied with.

Normally, it took more for Raina to get to breaking point, but it seemed so easy when she was with him. She honestly didn't know what it was, but she had the most intense orgasms of her life with him. It was only the third time they had sex, the second time being in the middle of the night, but it was easily the best sex she'd ever had. The way he touched her, the way his teeth nipped at her neck, the way he whispered things in her ear as he moved, overloaded her senses, meaning her body was on fire with overexcited nerve endings.

Dukat knew when she gripped on to him that she was about orgasm. The walls of her vagina clamped around his Cho'Ch in the most delicious way, that his rhythm faltered, and he thrusted in and out of her desperately, wanting to orgasm with her. He growled and grunted lowly, muttering in the same Cardassian dialect he had previously, cumming inside her with such force his whole body went rigid. He collapsed on top of her panting, peppering her neck with gentle kisses.

Raina sighed blissfully, running her fingers through his hair and down his neck scales, almost lovingly, not something she would normally do. "Skrain?"

"Mmmm?" Was all he replied.

"Can I use your shower?" She asked, with a little laugh lacing her voice. It amused her that he was a cuddler, not that she was complaining. "Not that I don't enjoy cuddles or being filled with a half a pint of Cardassian ejaculate, I feel icky."

He grunted in annoyance as he moved himself back to his side of the bed. "Why bother?" He pouted.

She snorted at his pouting. She swung herself over, so she was straddling his hips, with his Cho'Ch trapped unabashedly between them. "You look so cute when you pout." She teased, giving him a tender kiss on the lips.

"I am _not _cute!" He protested, yet eagerly returned her kiss.

"Whatever you say, lover boy." Raina lifted herself up from the bed and stepped into his bathroom. She stepped into the shower, sighing as the hot water hit her skin. It had been a while since she had an actual water shower. She only had a sonic shower in her quarters and it just wasn't the same as having actual water on her skin. She loved the feel of water and being in space meant that she hadn't felt the rain on her skin in some time. She chuckled quietly when she heard movement behind her. "I should have known." She said, quietly as strong arms wrapped around her.

"I have a beautiful woman in my shower. It would be rather impolite if I didn't offer my hands." He kissed her shoulder, grabbing a piece of cloth and a something that looked like soap. "Allow me."

She groaned loudly as his deft hands began to wash her back, easing out the strain instantly. "That's it! Those hands are forbidden from touching another woman again." She breathed out as hands roamed freely, cleansing her skin.

He chuckled smugly as his hands strayed in between her legs. "If only my hands will be the only ones to touch you." He whispered into her ear as his finger probed at her sex, the cloth forgotten at their feet.

When she turned in his arms, he lifted her up using the shower wall to brace her against as he entered her again. His hand slipped between them so he could massage her clit. He wasn't going to last long but he wanted her to her orgasm first. It was uncoordinated, messy sex. She wanted him inside of her and that was exactly where he wanted to be. She came quickly, followed by him not long after. He eased back down on to her feet but still holding her close.

They chatted as they finished showering and Dukat laid on the bed, watching her dry herself and getting dressed. He didn't intend to let her leave at any point soon but if she continued to strut around his cabin naked, he'd probably never recover from the sex induced exhaustion. He dressed himself before walking over to the replicator to order two red leaf teas.

Raina perched on the end of his desk, watching him with great interest. He moved in the most fascinating way. So self-assured and confident. She would say it was "sexy" in the way he carried himself. Out of all the Cardassian men she had slept with, and there were many of them, he was the only one that she was physically attracted to. It had been a compulsion almost to gratify them, do anything she could to get information. Yet, she wanted nothing from him but his skin on hers and that terrified her. "Unless you want me to leave, I suggest you feed me." She quickly held her hand up, sensing a snarky comment about to fall out of his mouth. "Your Cho'Ch doesn't count."

"Unfortunately, I don't have bland human cuisine programmed." He huffed. When she pushed him out of the way, he stood behind watching as she fiddled with the controls. "What are you doing?"

"Getting me some bland human cuisine." She replied, nudging him with her elbow. "Full English Breakfast." She said to the replicator, almost dancing with glee when it appeared. She picked up the plate, turning to him. "Bland…" She scoffed, before sitting down at the table to eat.

He ordered his own breakfast before joining her at the table. He watched her as she ate, a datapad held in her other hand. It struck him how domestic it felt, the two of them having breakfast together. He wouldn't let himself be fooled into thinking they were anything but two people with a mutual and highly charged attraction to each other. But that nagging doubt over her previous Cardassian lovers returned. "Tell me about the others?"

She turned to him, the fork still halfway between the plate and her mouth. "What others?"

"Your previous Cardassian lovers."

She slammed the fork down back on the plate, nervously running her fingers through her hair. "If you must know, I fucked them all for information, including Legate Kell, no matter what he actually thinks. They had what I needed." She bit back anxiously.

He eyed her suspiciously. Was she a Federation spy after all? If she was, he'd have to detain her, something he was reluctant to do. "What information were you trying to get?"

She stood up and moved closer to the door. "Don't look at me as if I'm some sort of spy." She glared back at him. A small whimper escaped her as she fought back the tears. "After the rape, I was hell bent on revenge. I foolishly decided to spy on another Legate. He caught me so I offered him sex in exchange for my freedom." She braced himself against the wall and held her stomach with the other. Those bad memories still had the ability to affect her. "Afterwards, I asked him about my rapists. It wasn't much but it was a start. It turned into an addiction, so I had sex with any Cardassian male I came across. I put myself in situations that meant I would meet them." She steeled herself. "Then came Legate Kell. That man has some sick fantasies, but I went along with it." She hated how easily she opened up to him. Like he just strolled around all the walls she built.

He stood up and approached her, debating with he wanted to touch her or not. Ultimately, he decided that he did, so he caressed her lower back, relieved when she didn't recoil. "So why are you here?"

"I'm afraid the answer to that just boils down to pure sexual attraction." She sighed, placing both hands on his chest. "I swore to Starfleet that I would stop my reckless behaviour. No more Cardassians. Then along came you."

The look in her eyes, told him that she was truthful. She wanted justice and nothing more. A protectiveness grew within him. He didn't want her putting herself in danger for justice, so he would do it for her. He kissed her gently, cocooning her within his arms. "I know people who know Gul Tretol, say the word and I'll make sure he disappears."

"Revenge nearly destroyed me and everything I hold dear. It killed my brother. I have to let it go." At some point, she would have jumped at the chance to have him executed, but she couldn't hold the burden of revenge any longer.

He respected her desire to let it go, but she still deserved justice. So, he'd do it quietly and no one would ever know. One of his Glinns interrupted over the comm. "What is it?" Dukat barked.

"Sorry to interrupt, Gul Dukat. We have been called back to Cardassian and we need to depart within the hour." There was a brief silence on the Comm as if the Glinn as reluctant to continue. "Shall I send someone to escort your…companion off the ship?"

"That wont necessary. I'll do it myself."

Raina laughed, leaning her head against his shoulder. "So, I guess I wasn't as discreet as I thought."

"No, you are just very vocal when sexually appeased." He smirked.

She kissed him eagerly to wipe that smirked from his lips. "Get me off this bloody ship before you think about keeping me on it."

He reluctantly escorted her to the docking bay, glaring at any crew members who dared to ogle her. They stepped back on to the station, keeping a respectful distance, just in case any eyes were on them. "Gul Dukat, please keep your crew under control. I do not appreciate being manhandled as I go about my business."

"If you didn't try to break one of my Glinns noses, they wouldn't have retaliated." They gave each other the barest hint of a smile before parting ways. Dukat made it back to his quarters, when he found her robe still laying discarded on his floor. He picked it up, breathing in deeply. It smelled of that same floral scent that followed wherever she went. He couldn't help but think she left it on purpose, not that he was complaining.

Raina went back to her quarters, still wandering what to do with her day off. She laid on her sofa, picking up the book that Dukat had given her. It had been fully translated from Cardassian and then printed. She loved to read, and it meant a lot that he went to the effort to get it for her.

They would deny it, but they both knew that the spark had been ignited.


	9. Chapter 9

It had been three weeks since Raina's night with Dukat. It was clear from the calls and messages that he was keen to repeat it. She did to but she enjoyed playing hard to get and teasing him. That said, she still enjoyed going on dates with men and her close friendship with Julian and Garak. She had no expectation of exclusivity and assumed she wasn't his only playmate, so she would continue her life as if he wasn't in it. Unfortunately, it seemed that Dukat didn't feel the same way. After she had admitted to a date, in which turned slightly intimate, that his jealousy and possessiveness roared to the surface. Raina challenged him on it, demanding to know if he'd been with anyone else since that night. To her surprise, he said no. What surprised her more was, she knew it was true.

She stepped into Garak's shop, giving him a smile as she noticed him talking to a customer. While waiting, she browsed the selves, feeling a new silk like fabric that he had just received from Barisa Prime. She had drifted off into her little world when the sound of cheerful greeting just reached her ears.

"Good evening, Raina." He moved to her side, noticed the fabric she had her eyes on. "Beautiful, isn't it. I had it ordered just for you."

Raina blushing, grinning from ear to ear. "You spoil me, Garak."

"You are worth spoiling. Can I help you with something?"

"I wondered if you would join me for dinner."

"I would enjoy nothing more than your company." Garak had been hoping to spend time with her. He had something he needed to discuss with her and knew it was probably best to discuss it in private. "Why don't we go to my quarters."

"Ok. After the day I've had, a quiet dinner sounds like bliss." Raina was shocked when they got to his cabin at how bare and soulless it was. There was no individuality about the space. "Not planning to stay, Garak?"

"I guess, I still don't see this place as my home." Garak still maintained the hope that he would be welcomed back to Cardassia.

She took a seat at the table, watching as Garak stood by the Replicator. "I miss Earth, too."

They shared a sad smile as he placed a plate of stew in front of her. "At least you _can _go home."

She grimaced, pain flashing in her eyes. "Starfleet would rather I didn't."

"I guess we both feel displaced." He sympathised.

They ate dinner, chatting about their childhoods, although Raina knew he was being less than truthful. Julian would have been bothered by it, but she understood the desire to keep things hidden. She'd been doing it since she was child. Once dinner was finished, Garak introduced her to Cardassian music, since she'd never heard any before. "This song reminds me of my mother." He offered that little snippet of honesty because he knew he could trust her. "It's been a while since I've seen her."

"It's been ten years since my mother passed." She smiled at Garak when he placed his hand on hers. "It's hard being so far away from my family."

He stroked her knuckles with his thumb, returning her sad smile. "We've come far you and me. The first time you saw me, you looked terrified."

"Legate Kell. I'm sure you knew him." Garak nodded. "I got caught up in an affair with him. Something happened which I still can't talk about. I'd spent months trying to erase him from my mind. To see another Cardassian threw me. Then I saw him again and suddenly, I felt nothing."

"You are an incredible woman, Raina. It is a privilege to call you my friend."

She chuckled, placing her free hand over his. "So, does that mean you will tell me what is really on your mind?"

Shocked flashed across his for a moment before he too chuckled. He should have guessed she would see right through him. "I had the most curious conversation with Gul Dukat. He asked me to procure something for an "important woman."

Raina managed to prevent the blush that threatened to heat up her cheeks. "That is curious. He's probably got his claws into some poor Bajoran woman."

Garak stood up, collecting a small ornate box from his desk draw. "That certainly would have been the case in the past, but….." He stopped, placing the box in front of her, giving her a knowing look. "I think it might be you."

"What…. what makes you think it's me?" She asked, turning her attentions to the beautiful, hand carved box. Her mind was instantly taken back to when she was a child. Her mother had one just like it.

"Open the box."

Raina sighed, opening the box. A small gasp escaped her when a familiar tune started to play. "My mother had one just like this." She said quietly, a tear slipping down her cheek. "She used to play the tune when I had trouble sleeping."

"Look at the bottom." He urged.

Raina did just that, immediately throwing her hands to cover her mouth, stifling the sob that threatened to come out. "It is my mother's." She cried, reading the love message that her father had engraved into the box. "How?"

Garak sat back down. "Dukat asked if I could use my contacts to get it back for you. A Ferengi scavenger had it. It took a lot of bargaining to get it back."

"Why would he do that?"

"He wants your adoration, but he knows he has to work for it." Garak knew Dukat well enough to know, he'll go to great lengths to gain her loyalty. He also knew that Raina isn't the type to fall to a man's feet. If anything, men would to her feet. "Why him, if you don't mind me asking?"

Wiping her tears away, she closed the lid, pulling the box closer to her. "I have really shitty taste in men." She laughed loudly. "Besides, it's only been one night. With any luck, he'll find someone new to woo."

"Oh, one thing I can say about Dukat, once he's committed, he won't stop."

"You won't say anything will you?" She knew that her career in Starfleet would be over if Command found out that she continued to have affairs with inappropriate people. It took a long time for people to forget about her affair with Admiral Quint. Luckily they didn't know about her affair with Admiral Cohen and the small army unit of Cardassians, she slept with. Sleeping with Legate Kell was enough to do damage. "I'm just barely holding onto my career."

"Your secret is safe with me." He smiled, clutching her hand. "Just beware. Women Dukat claims to love, usually end up dead."

"I'm made to be used, Garak. Not to be loved." She stood up, taking the plates back to the Replicator. "Thanks for dinner, Garak."

He stood up, walking with her to the door. "You sell yourself short, Raina. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Raina walked out of his cabin, clutching the box in her hand. When she got to her cabin, she could hear her terminal pinging. It was Dukat, it had to be, but she just couldn't deal with him at that moment. She didn't understand what game he was playing. He was using her, he had to be. No man ever wanted her for who she was, only for what she could give. She only told him about the music box because he asked about her mother. She didn't know what his motivation was for getting it back for her.

After repeated attempts to contact her, she had a message appear on her terminal. She didn't want to read it, but her resolve to ignore him had crumbled.

_To: Lieutenant Raina Cavendish._

_From: Gul Skrain Dukat._

_Subject: We talked about this._

_We mutually agreed…..No more dates._

_And don't ignore me!_

"Piss off, you needy fucker." She shouted, angrily turning off the terminal. "No more dates, huh." She tutted angrily.

Raina knew that having a one night stand out of spite was a wrong idea, but it made her feel better anyway.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter describes attempted sexual assault so just skip this chapter if you want to.

When Admiral Cohen stepped onto DS9, the lurch of nerves unsettled him. He was about to see Raina after two years and he wasn't sure how to feel. Raina had once been engaged to his son, but the relationship ended badly. His own relationship with the Lieutenant didn't start until a year after the split, although no one knew about the affair. The guilt over it often ate at him, knowing that his son still loved her.

The end of them came when she unknowingly to him, accepted a new posting at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards. He tried to maintain contact with her, but eventually she just stopped responding to him. He visited her several times in a feeble attempt to salvage things, but she always managed to avoid to him. Then she was shipped to DS9 and it seemed she had settled in her new posting.

He strolled through the promenade deck, taking in the shops and the various people passing him by. He stopped at the entrance as Quark's bar, knowing that if any place, Raina would be in there. She was a social butterfly and enjoyed being around people, meeting new people. He walked in, scanning the area for any sight of her. He found her at the bar, laughing and joking with a Human and a Cardassian. She looked as captivating as she did when he last saw her. She grew her hair longer and had blonde highlights at the end. He watched her as she conversed with the two men. It was obvious by the happiness that danced in her eyes, that they were good friends of hers. She enjoyed being around them as they did her. He didn't like that at all. A female joined them; a Trill. He took a seat in a corner but still able to keep his eyes on her as she had a quiet conversation with the other woman. Both women laughed out loud while turned towards someone he couldn't see.

He watched intently as she got up from the bar, saying her goodnights to the others. Fortunately, she didn't notice him on her way out of the bar, giving him the opportunity to follow. He followed at a distance, watching each interaction she had on the way. From the way people reacted to her, she was a popular figure on the station. Men flirted with shamelessly and even some of the women did too. He wasn't all surprised by that, people just naturally gravitated towards her. She just had that kind of pull with people.

He followed her all the way towards the habitat deck, stopping a way down from the door to her cabin, watching as she slipped inside. He waited a few minutes before approaching the door, just to see if she would come back out. He waited at the door, pressing the door chime. The door slid open to Raina wearing just a robe and her hair up in a messy up do.

Raina's surprise quickly turned to anger, as she stood with both hands on either side of the door. "You've got some fucking nerve showing up here." She spat. She tried to stop him entering the cabin, but he got closer than she wanted him to be so she moved as far away as she could. "What do you want?" She asked, angrily.

"To see you." He offered, as he scanned her cabin with his eyes.

"Well, you've seen me, now go." She moved behind her desk, knowing she kept a phaser in the draw for protection.

"You owe me some answers, Raina." He perched on the end of her desk, blocking her ability to get to her gun if she needed it. "Why did you cut me off? We were good together."

"If you really must ask, you're a bigger idiot than I realised." She scoffed. "Your little psycho son repeatedly spread rumours about me, and you did nothing. Everyday, just more acid to erode my career and you were letting it happen."

"They were just rumours, no one believed them."

Raina laughed humourlessly. "He told people I killed my baby." Her voice cracked as the tears started to well in her eyes. "_Everyday_…for 4 months, people used to call me "baby killer" as they passed me in the corridor. He was the one who betrayed me and abandoned me when I needed him the most, and yet I was the one being punished. I decided to take control back and move on. From him, and you."

"But, we loved each other, Raina. Did it mean nothing?" He stood up, moving towards her until she was pressed against the wall.

"I never loved you, Michael." She said with all the brutal honesty she had. "I only ever loved one man, and he was the one who caused me more pain than those Cardassians ever did."

"You're lying." He gritted his teeth, getting closer to her. "Do not deny what we had."

"Had?" She asked as she wrapped her arms around herself for protection. "We had nothing but the occasional fuck in your office after hours. You didn't want any more than that in case your precious son found out."

"It meant more than that." He pressed himself against her, pinning her arms above her head. "I'll make you remember." He cooed as he tried to kiss her, tugging her robe open.

She turned her head, squirming away as much as she could. She spotted her combadge on her desk, but it was too far way for her to get it. She had to get away enough at least so she could call for help. "Let go of me, Michael."

He succeeded in kissing her, using his strength to keep her pinned against the wall. She continued to fight him, managing to knee him in his bad leg. He stumbled back, momentarily dazed by the pain. A red mist descended over him as he raised his hand, striking her hard across the face. He grabbed her around the back of the neck and dragged her to the bed, throwing her down on it. "I'm going to make you remember." He spat.

She started to cry, and the panic had her struggling for breath. Once, she would have never believed he was capable of bad things, but now she knew he was. Jason obviously learned it from somewhere. "Michael, get off me!" She screamed as his hands roamed over her body. His hand clamped over her mouth and his other hand was against her throat. She closed her eyes and resigned herself what was to come and all the effort she made to bring the old Raina back would be lost, possibly for good.

Suddenly, the pressure on her neck released, but she was too scared to move, so she lay motionless, blocking out every sense she had. There was a yell that sounded out through her cabin, but she couldn't be sure she if she imagined it. She started to shake when the bed dipped beneath her, convinced it was him. But, instead of the attack she expected, her robe was pulled back around her and tied up.

"Raina, he's unconscious. You're safe now."

She snapped her eyes open, at first not registering who it was. She leaped up like a wounded animal and stood wide eyed in the door of her bathroom, fixated on the limp form of her attacker. It was then her clarity returned, and she saw the towering presence of Dukat standing over Admiral Cohen like a predator. "Is he dead?"

His eyes met hers, softening instantly. "No, just unconscious." He moved to her, reaching his hand out to her. He wanted nothing more than to have her in his arms. "Let me take a look at your face."

She eyed for a moment. He had a look on his face that she never thought a man like him would be capable of. Taking his outstretched hand, she allowed him to lead her to her desk. "Why did you come here?"

"To see you." He said, honestly. "I came here extremely annoyed at you ignoring me." He studied her face, pleased to see that no bruising had formed, just a red welt mark.

"How will I explain my injured superior officer away?"

"Garak is coming to help." He assured her. "Ex lover?"

"Kind of." Against her better judgement, she leant into him for comfort as his arms surrounded her. It was so easy to forget what kind of man he was. What kind of man was he, really? "He is my ex fiancés father. We had a sexual relationship while I was stationed under him." She jumped when the door to her cabin opened, a concerned Garak walking in, eyes on the man still motionless on the floor. "Garak." She cried, falling into his open arms.

"Shhh, now." He soothed. "So what lie are we going to spin?" He asked Dukat.

Raina looked between both Cardassian men, half expecting them to engage in a pissing contest. "Garak, call Sisko and tell him you came by and heard screaming. You can fill in the rest." She turned to Dukat, so desperate to be angry at him, but she didn't have the strength. "You get to hide in the bathroom."

He huffed, glaring at Garak but he knew better than to complain. "I assume you can handle him if he wakes up again."

As soon as Dukat was out of the way, Garak turned his full attention to Raina. "Are you ok, Raina?"

"No." She replied, sadly. "I froze Garak. I fucking froze as he tried to…" She fell on to the bed, sitting at the bottom, sobbing into her hands. "I'm so pathetic."

Garak took a seat next to her, wrapping an arm around her. "You are pathetic, Raina. He had no right to do that to you."

"If Dukat hadn't have come….." She paused to take a deep breath. "Not everyday a woman can say that Dukat was her, "White Knight."

"Well, even sociopaths have their moments." He quipped.

The door to her cabin swished open, an angry and concerned Sisko stepped through with Odo and Major Kira behind her. "Raina, are you ok?" He asked as he knelt in front of her.

"He assaulted me and tried to rape me, Ben." She pointed to the angry red welt on her face. "Please, just get him out of here."

Sisko turned to the unconscious man, fighting the desire to give him a few punches for good measure. "Odo, Garak, help me escort him to the cells."

Raina watched as Odo and Garak picked up Admiral Cohen, dragging up out of the door. "Will you contact my father?" She asked Sisko.

He nodded. "This is a messy situation." He pulled her to her feet, holding on to her upper arms. "Did you know he was on the station?"

"No, I had no idea. If I did I'd have…" She stopped, a look a Sisko face told her he knew that they had intimate history. "Shit. He's going tell command about us."

Sisko shook his head before pulling her into his arms. "He won't say anything. I'll make sure of it." He turned to Kira. "Stay with her."

"I don't need babysitting, Ben. I just want to go to bed."

Kira gave her a sad smile, gently rubbing her shoulder. "I'm only down the hall if you need anything, ok?"

Raina nodded as they both left. She sat back down on the bed and tears threatened to fall. "You can come out now." She turned to see Dukat leaving the bathroom wearing only the under suit of his military uniform. His upper armour, holster and communicator lay discarded. "Are you planning on staying?"

"Do you want me to go?"

Raina studied him carefully, conflicted over what she wanted. Logic dictated that he should go, and their little fling cut short before if got out of hand. But her heart, body and soul wanted him to stay. "No, I don't."

He gave her a little arrogant smirk before he went over to her replicator to order two teas. "Are we going to address how you've ignored me for three weeks?"

"Why did you ask Garak to get the music box back?"

"I thought it would make you happy."

Raina scoffed. "Why is the great Gul Dukat so concerned with my happiness?"

He grunted in annoyance. "Why is Starfleet's finest so resistant to my attempts to romance her?"

She blinked in shock. "Romance? I thought you wanted to seduce me."

"I did. Three times." He handed her a cup of tea before sitting down on the sofa, one leg slung over the other. "I've had my share of women and none are quite like you."

Despite the evening she just had, she couldn't help but laugh. "Not that I don't enjoy the flirting, because I really do, I need a shower. I will be locking the door."

"Oh, how you offend me." He quipped. "Shall I warm the bed for you?"

Raina snorted a laugh before she entered the bathroom, locking the door behind her. The sonic waves felt so good as they cleansed her skin, soothing her tensed up muscles and freeing her mind from some of the evening events. As much she chided herself for it, she desperately wanted to fall asleep in Dukat's warm embrace. Even though she had successfully ignored him for three weeks, she missed him, longed for him and she hated how she had become so attached to him so quickly. She vowed to never let herself become so attached to another man again, but she felt so lonely without him. She had people around her everyday that cared for her, but it was always him she longed for.

After her shower, she dressed in bed shorts and a vest top, tying her hair up in a ponytail. When she left the bathroom Dukat wasn't sitting where she left him, but in her bed and reading the one book she had that was printed in Urdasaai, a Cardassian dialect spoken only in the most northern regions of the planet. "Comfy?"

"Hmmm. Do you speak, Urdasaai?"

"I can speak, read and write it. Do you?" She slipped into the bedside him, taking a peek at where he was in the book.

"I was born and raised in Urdassa." He set the book down on the table beside the bed. He moved so she could snuggle up to his side. "I wanted to kill him." He admitted.

"I'm glad you didn't. Would never get the blood out of that carpet." She smiled when she felt his body rumble with quiet laughter. His lips ghosted her forehead, kissing it gently. She drifted off to sleep quickly with him not far behind.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Have some bridge sex and Dukat being romantic.

It was a strange day for the residents of DS9. An influx of Cardassian military had left the Bajorans with vivid recollections of the Occupation. The Starfleet personnel weren't all too thrilled with it either. Despite the efforts for civility towards the Cardassians, the Starfleet crew were ignored. But, it wasn't all bad since the Cardassians has taken to Quark's bar and had been as yet, quite restrained. Sisko knew that Quark had been given a hefty sum to close the bar to all non-Cardassians, he just didn't know how much and nor did he really care. Quark was a businessman; not only did he get a lump sum, but he also got a bar full of big spenders. He would have been a fool to turn it down.

Dukat had been thrilled to know that the Council had decided to gather the officers on DS9. He knew it was probably just a move to irritate Starfleet, but it meant he could be on the station for a few days without arousing suspicion. He had no issues with his superiors knowing about his fling, but he would be severely punished if they thought he was neglecting his duty to Cardassia. It was getting harder for him to find reasons to be on the station and the longing only got stronger as time went on. He had yet to see Raina as she had been in Ops since he arrived, but she promised so wouldn't make him wait any longer than he had to. He was waiting in Quark's bar with his cousin, Macet, getting increasingly irritated by the latter's relentless verbal jabs.

"So, where is the Human?" Macet asked.

"You are starting to annoy me, Akellen." He replied with a biting tone.

"Just curious." He protested.

The others gathered with the cousins were amused by Dukat's blustering over the Human. Most them had either met her or heard of her. There was one man who wasn't so humoured by Dukat's actions. Gul Jalet had known Dukat since they were children and the two neither liked each other. It all stemmed from the pursuit over Athra, Dukat's wife. Jalet had been in love with her since adolescent and came close to marrying her. Then Athra changed her mind and married Dukat, cementing his hatred of the man. However, just a few years into the marriage before the children arrived, he started an affair with her. Athra refused to leave Dukat, despite the fact Jalet possibly fathered some of the seven children, because Dukat had more to offer. So, he waited for the perfect opportunity to destroy his career. The human could prove a useful tool against him.

Jalet let out a disapproving tut. "Married to a beautiful woman and yet you fawn over those alien whores."

"Watch it!" Dukat growled in response. "You are welcome to Athra. Just make sure you have the means."

A Legate glared at both men. "Too old to be squabbling over women." He chastised. His eyes were suddenly drawn to the entrance were a very attractive Human woman stood talking to some Glinns. "Dukat, is that the Human?" He asked, unable to take his eyes off her.

"It is." Dukat said, a little too smugly.

Macet too found the subject of many appreciative noises from nearby Cardassians. He understood why his cousin was so smitten. Woman so beautiful and sexy were rare. She moved with grace and purpose, so confident and elegant. She was aware of the eyes on her, but she remained unphased by it. "I never knew Starfleet made them like that."

Raina smoothed down her little black dress as she strolled towards Quark's bar, her high heels beating a confident rhythm on the floor as she moved. She hadn't seen Dukat in weeks and since he paid for the dress, it was only right that she wore it to greet him. When she entered the bar, two Glinns stood in her way, glaring it her with a mixture of annoyance and lust. "Excuse me."

"Cardassians only." One of the men growled.

Raina flicked her hair over her shoulder, putting her hands on her hips. "Do I look like the kind of woman you'd turn away?"

Another taller and broader Glinn interrupted. "You look like my kind of woman."

She regarded the young Glinn before placing her hand on his chest. "If I ever tire of my current Cardassian, I'll be sure to find you." She walked away towards the bar, quietly chuckling to herself. She didn't envision that she'd tired of Dukat just yet and when she did, there wouldn't be another one in his place. Dukat isn't the kind of man you could replace. She stood at the bar chatting with Quark, ignoring the men that surrounded her. She picked up the cocktail that Quark gave her, turning to scan the room.

She found Dukat partially hidden in a throng of people. When their eyes met, she smiled not caring who saw. He never smiles though. Instead, he gives her a look of longing, telling her wordlessly how much he missed her. She can feel his desire to touch her, her skin tingling with anticipation. She stayed where she was though, just enjoying her drink. It was a game they played to see which one would crumble first.

Macet watched his cousin and the Human practically eye fuck each other. It was clear to him that it wasn't as simple as Dukat tried to claim. He insisted it was purely sexual, but it was a lie. "Oh, just go to her. You're making me feel sick."

"Do you want to meet her?" Dukat didn't make a habit of introducing his lovers to family and friends, but Raina was the exception. He tilted his back slightly to signal her to come over.

Raina's face creased in confusion. They had pretty much kept things at a distance unless in close quarters with no one around to see. She poured a glass of Kanar and strolled over to them. She reached up and caressed the back of his neck, her fingers teasing the scales at the side. "Well, you are looking even sexier than I remember." Her heart leapt when the corners of his mouth twitched. His façade almost slipped.

His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to his side. "Looking as beautiful as ever." He whispered, his lips just ghosting the tip of her ear. He turned to his cousin once he regained his usual demeanour. "Akellen, this is Lieutenant Raina Cavendish."

He nodded his head towards her. "The stories don't do you justice, Lieutenant. I am Gul Akellen Macet. This fortunate idiot's cousin."

Raina wasn't sure how to interpret being introduced to a family member. "Pleasure to meet you. I see good looks run in the family." She grinned at Dukat, giving him a gentle nudge.

"So, how did this idiot get so fortunate?" Macet asked, knowing full well it would just annoy his cousin even more.

"I have a weakness for dumb, needy creatures." She laughed.

"She has you figured out, cousin." Macet laughed as he walked away.

Raina smirked when Dukat's hand slid down her lower back to cup her backside. "Is someone feeling possessive? He was obviously aware of the attention she was getting, and he needed to make a point.

"Just making a point, beautiful."

"So, let's go to my quarters and you can make it all night long."

"Or I can show you here."

"Actually…." She drawled out with a devious tone. "I have a better idea. Can you keep your ship free of crew for a few hours?"

"Any particular area?"

"The Bridge. Sort it out and come meet me."

Dukat watched her walk away, curious to know what she had planned. He sent a message to his crew instructing them that the Bridge and the rest of the deck was out of bounds. He didn't care what they did with their unexpected free time, but he made it clear, he wouldn't be bailing anyone out for at least five hours. He got back to his ship, making his way to the Bridge. He stopped short of the door when he spotted a slip of black fabric hanging by the door. Picking it up, he realised it to be the dress that Raina had been wearing. He growled lowly, knowing exactly what she was doing. He walked on to the bridge, slinging the dress over the nearest console, then he spotted her sitting on his chair, wearing nothing but a delicious grin.

"Tell me, how often do you think of me when you sit in this chair?"

"Frequently, but I suspect it will be a lot more now." He moved closer to her, taking a moment to admire the scene in front of him. He'd never had a woman so outwardly sexual. The way she sat there, completely naked and so confident, it had to be the most erotic thing he'd ever seen. "Now I see why you wanted the bridge cleared."

"Well…." She rose to her feet, strolling past him towards the navigation console. "Can't have crew hanging around while their commanding officer fucks his mistress." She turned around, placing a hand on her hip, cocking out to one side. "Speaking of which, you appear to still be dressed."

"You realise there are security cameras on the Bridge?"

She just shrugged. "Ahhh, you underestimate me, lover. I disabled them."

He stalked towards her, pulling her roughly towards him. "You are a dangerous woman, Lieutenant." He wrapped his hand around the back her neck, catching her lips with his own. He was never one for kissing, but the taste of her lips had turned him into an addict. His hands roamed her body eagerly, palming her breasts and cupping her backside.

"And that is why you want me." With a teasing kiss, she slipped her hands underneath his armour, releasing the latches so she could push it over his head. It was unceremoniously dumped on the floor, ripping his under suit apart, forcing it down his arms and she pushed him backwards until the back of his boots hit the ledge where his chair sat. "I know how you feel about me." She pushed him on to the seat before kneeling down in between his legs. "You're in love with me. I know this." She yanked his under suit down past his hips, a wicked grin on her full red lips as she took his Cho'Ch in her hand.

He watched as her tongue flicked the end of his length, her eyes never leaving his. He let out the most sinful groan as her tongue teased the raised ring halfway down his shaft, the most sensitive part. He knew what her game was, but he didn't think he'd be able to outplay her. "You are incredible." He groaned, just as she took his full length into her mouth. He'd never be able to sit on the Bridge again without thinking of this moment.

She took him in and out of her mouth with slow, measured movements. She wanted to make sure that the memory would be etched in his memory forever. Their eyes met again, and she knew for sure what he was feeling. The air in the room changed, the spark of their connection prick at her skin. Without warning, she increased her movements, taking him to the back of her mouth as far as she comfortably could, swallowing when he hit her throat. He was close to the edge and she knew it. Whenever she blew him, he had control and gave in easily.

A growl ripped from his throat as he gripped the arms of his chair and he came with a feral roar. "You are incredible." He said, a little breathless.

"You already said that." She giggled as she got up to sit on his lap. "Mine turn now."

"Oh?" His hand caressed her thigh, moving higher until he fingers probed at her sex. "I adore the sounds you make, and I've barely touched you."

"What can I say." Her breath caught in her throat when he entered a single finger inside of her. "You have magic fingers."

"Or maybe…..I just enjoy bringing you pleasure."

"Fuck me." She breathed out.

"Such vulgar language." He teased. He stood up with her secured in his arms as he walked towards the navigation console. Before setting her down on it, he made sure to disable it. "My navigator is a pompous little wompat, just like his father. Fucking you on the console would bring me immense pleasure."

"Such vulgar language." She kissed him eagerly, biting his lower lip.

"That's my line." He cut off her reply with a bruising kiss, teasing her tongue with his own. He gripped her thighs to pull her legs up, entering her slowly. "What have you done to me?" He groaned as he thrusted into her slowly but deeply. "I can't resist you."

"Good." She whispered in his ear as she clung to him, her nails digging into the scales of his back.

Between breathless kisses and the gentle pace of his thrusts, their surroundings fell away. The galaxy ceased to exist in that moment. "Beg me for more." He demanded.

"Please…." She begged.

He pulled her leg up to rest on his shoulder, holding her other leg up by the back on her knee. He increased his movements, pounding into her as hard as he could. She threw her head back, letting out broken sobs as she clung desperately to him. It felt like she was on fire, his hands, mouth and Cho'Ch had all worked together to overwhelm her senses. "Don't stop." She breathed out. She was so close to climaxing and when he his fingers find her clit; she willingly threw herself over the edge. He knew how to touch her, what she wanted and was more than willing to give it. She began to see stars as the sensations in her groin were getting almost unbearable. She gasped, her whole body shaking as she came so intensely that it felt like all the nerves in her body had exploded.

He groaned into her neck as her vaginal walls constricted his Cho'Ch so tight that he lost his rhythm. He thrusted into her desperately as her whisperings into his ear made his control snap. "I love you, Raina." He roared as he came into her.

They stayed connected for a while as they came down from their post coital high. Dukat had managed to keep her resting against the console as she knew she wouldn't be able to move. Her legs felt like lead and her head was in a spin. Both from the orgasm and what he had said to her. She wanted to ignore it, as she knew it would be foolish to open up to romantic feelings. But she had come to care for him, and she wouldn't want to hurt him. "You ok?" She asked, gently kissing his cheek and jaw.

"Hmmm. You?" He replied. He slowly moved out of her and gently eased her legs down to the floor. Before he let go, he pressed a tender kiss into her forehead. He pulled his under suit back up, slipping his arms in but he made no attempt to do it up properly. He slumped down into his chair after pulling his under suit back up, slipping his arms in but making no attempt to do it up properly.

She smirked as she felt his eyes on her as she dressed. "Like what you see?"

"Always." He patted his thigh, indicating to her to sit on his lap. When she slipped back into his lap, he pulled her close. "I meant what I said." He said against her shoulder, tenderly kissing her skin.

Raina wasn't sure how to feel. No man ever told her he loved her. Even Jason only said it when pushed. She loved him, she had to be honest with herself about that but her past, his past and his current situation made her wonder if she would be badly hurt when it ended. You can't control love, but you can choose whether to accept it or not. She wanted a family one day. Would he give that to her, could he? She turned to face him, pressing her forehead against his. "Skrain…. I love you and it terrifies me."

He hated that haunted look in her eyes when she thinks about her past. It cut him deeply every time. She had a sadness that no one so young should have and it bothered him. "I have a confession to make." He kissed her gently. "I met Gul Tretol, purely by incident."

"Is he dead?"

"No, no." He shook his head. "I wanted to rip his throat out. Instead, I destroyed his life."

"Why?" She asked, quietly. "For me?"

He nodded. "I've done things I'm not proud of. I've enjoyed power too much, but violence, especially against women, is not something I tolerate." He gave her a brief smile and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm an arrogant man, but I'm not a bad man. Not really a good one, but not bad either. I couldn't stand by listening to that man, knowing what he did to you."

Raina understood what he was trying to say. He, like all, had his flaws and issues. But he wasn't so proud he couldn't admit his past mistakes. "Thank you." She pressed a kiss to his lips, suddenly laughing as she felt his hand slip under her dress. "Nice try." She laughed but made no move to remove his hand. When she looked down, she saw a slip of black silk wrapped around his wrist. "What's this?" She tapped his wrist, looking at him curiously.

"It is part of the cord to your robe." He admitted. "I had it made in a wrist band, so I could have you close to me."

She laughed, much to his annoyance. "Who knew the great Gul Dukat had a romantic side."

"Shall I stick to being surly and sarcastic?"

She stood up, taking his hand. "I think we should go back to your quarters. I'd like to get acquainted with this romantic side."


	12. Chapter 12

Athra grunted in anger as Jacen once again complained about being unwell. Jacen was the youngest boy, born just a year before his sister and only girl, Talyn. She never bonded with the youngest three, instead leaving them in the care of her mother in law. She found Jacen to be an especially irritating child. He was always whining and begging for attention. Whenever his father was home, Jacen would follow him like a shadow. Mekor was a quiet child and his presence often went unnoticed. Talyn was her father's daughter and she wouldn't hear a bad word against him.

Jacen, along with both Talyn and Mekor, were the only children Athra knew for certain that Dukat had fathered them. The four oldest were confirmed to be fathered by her long term lover, Gul Jalet. She didn't know if Dukat had suspected it, but she never really cared. She stayed with him to keep the life that he could give her. Jalet was far less established but had issued Athra with an ultimatum; leave Dukat or he'd take his children and leave. The youngest children would be left behind with their father as Jalet refused to raise them.

Athra wrenched Jacen's arm and led him to school. "Stop whinging." She told him, as she walked away, leaving the crying boy outside.

Jacen barely made it an hour at before he vomited profusely and passed out in front of his siblings. By the time he got to a hospital, sores had broken out all over his skin, his breathing had turned weak and shallow and his body temperature had dropped dramatically. Suddenly, Lakat hospital had been inundated with three dozen patients with the same symptoms.

* * *

Dukat had barely made it beyond the Cardassia system before the called had come in. He ordered the ship return to Cardassia so he could be by his son's side. Worry had quickly turned to anger when he was told that Athra had abandoned Mekor, Jacen and Talyn at the hospital and disappeared. He had quickly worked to make sure she was cut off from funds she would undoubtably need. If she wanted out, then she'd have to do it with nothing.

He rushed to the Hospital, crushed to see two of his children sobbing alone, ignored by everyone else around them. Once they had seen their father, they were in his arms in a flash, sobbing into his chest as he tried soothing them. "Where is your mother?" He asked.

Mekor huffed in a shaky breath as he managed to calm himself. "I don't know."

Dukat nodded, giving his children a sad smile. "Mekor, look after your sister. I need to see the Doctor about Jacen. Can you do that for me?"

Mekor nodded. "Come on, Talyn. Let's get something to eat."

When Dukat walked into his youngest son's room, he felt broken by the sight of his boy lying in bed unconscious and barely breathing. A doctor greeted him with a saccharine voice. "How is he?" He asked the woman.

"He's fighting. We just don't know what he's fighting."

"Will he live?" That was a question that Dukat wasn't sure if he wanted an answer to or not.

"I can't say." She said, sympathetically. "There's talk of approaching Starfleet for help. We aren't equipped for this."

Dukat knew that the situation was dire when the Council was forced to consider help from Starfleet. He couldn't even be sure that Starfleet would be willing to help. There wasn't exactly any love lost between Cardassians and Humans. "I need to get to a meeting with the Council. I want to know if anything changes." The Doctor nodded in acknowledgement.

The meeting with the Council was in full swing when Dukat arrived with Mekor and Talyn. Voices were raised, engaged in a passionate debate regarding Starfleet. A select group disagreed with the decision to involved outside parties, believing it would only aide Starfleet and the Federation in annexing Cardassia for its own means. Many believed that Starfleet would refuse to help and yet, to everyone's surprise, they agreed to send experts in to help. That left only one question; what did Starfleet want in return?

Gul-Tar Keve banged a metal gavel on the desk to silence the room. "The decision is made. We have Starfleet personnel arriving from Terok Nor shortly. They've also diverted a research ship from it's primary mission, so let's try to co-operate with them."

The mention of Terok Nor had Dukat worried and pleased at the same time. He knew that Raina would be part of the team to arrive. While she knew of his family and understood his duty to them, he feared that seeing that family might make her step back from him. He knew that he couldn't interact with her in a way he normally would. While many Cardassian military personnel knew of his Human mistress, he couldn't show it around headquarters. It would be met with disgust. The rule was, on Cardassia loyalty mattered, off Cardassia loyalty didn't exist.

* * *

Three days later, Dukat got the call that Starfleet personnel were due to arrive in the next hour. He left the hospital after spending the last few nights at his son's bedside. He was left with little option but to leave the other children with his mother. Dukat and his mother had a tense relationship. She disapproved of many decisions he had made over the years and had no qualms in voicing her disappointment.

When he arrived at headquarters, there was an air of distrust brewing. Several armed guards were stood by the transporter. "All hail Starfleet." A Glinn shouted as they waited, causing angry chatter to build.

"One wrong move and I will put them down." Another added.

"Gul-Tar Keve." The young transporter operator called out. "Starfleet are ready to beam over."

Within seconds, Raina, Julian and Jadzia had appeared in headquarters, surrounded by boxes full of equipment. The sight of so many armed guards had Raina angry and she was more than willing to show her displeasure. "Gul-Tar Keve." She called out, as she lifted a box from the transporter. "Starfleet are here to help as you requested, so why do I feel like a prisoner. I thought Cardassia moved on from slave labour?"

Keve was not a weak man by any means, but Lieutenant Cavendish was as commanding as she was beautiful. He had no choice but to concede the point. He signalled to the guards to holster their weapons. "I apologise, Lieutenant. We are in very trying times." He nodded to her respectfully. "What will you need?"

"Well, Dr Bashir and Lieutenant Dax will be heading to the hospital. I will need on the files on the patients and their day to day movements. We need to know when, where and how they were infected."

"I will have your colleagues escorted to the hospital." She was so sternly professional, yet he noticed her eyes occasionally strayed past him. It was then he realised that Dukat had his eyes firmly fixed on her. Keve couldn't deny the envy he was feeling, but he wanted to suppress his amusement. No woman got the better of a man like Gul Dukat, but it seemed that he had finally met his match. "Lieutenant, I shall leave you in the hands of Gul Dukat. If you don't object, Dukat?"

Dukat nodded. He couldn't decided whether Keve did it to be cruel or he was showing his acceptance of his relationship with Raina. "I shall make sure the Lieutenant doesn't damage anything."

Raina didn't her best to suppress smile that threatened on her lips. "And I shall make sure that the only thing I do damage is, Gul Dukat." Raina could see a brief smile on Keve's lips. She had started to earn his respect. An achievement in itself.

"Follow me." Dukat ordered as he walked away to his office.

Raina followed him, always two steps behind until they both stepped into a lift. She could feel his desire, that uncontrollable urge to touch her. Her lips tingled with previous memories of his lips on hers. The lift doors had barely closed when she was pressed into the wall, engulfed by him as he kissed her with all the energy of a man starved. Her hands wound their way into his hair, tugging on it gently as his persistent tongue invaded her mouth, sending pulses of desire to her very core. She groaned into his mouth when a deft hand cupped her backside, forcefully pressing her hips against his. They clung to each other as if the universe were conspiring to pull them apart as they kissed with the energy of a supernova.

He reluctantly wrenched his mouth from hers to take a breath, lightheaded from the sensations his body experienced when she was near to him. He looked down to his lover, her lips swollen and her lipstick messy from his powerful kiss. She was beautiful, but it was that little coy smile that would be his undoing. It was a smile that he could be so arrogant to claim as his own, meant only for him. "I've missed you." He whispered against her lips before pressing a tender kiss on her nose.

They pulled apart quickly as the lift stopped, leaving Raina would just enough time to straighten her messy lipstick again. To anyone waiting at the lift, the lovers would have looked like two people who would rather be somewhere other than in a lift with each other.

Dukat escorted her to his office, making sure the door was locked after them. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into her neck. "My son…." He left the sentence unfinished as her soothing kisses on his jaw line told him that she already knew. He suspected that it was a motivation for her coming to Cardassia.

"I know." She cooed. "I'll do everything I can to help him."

"Thank you." He said, pressing a kiss into her hair. He pulled way from her, moving to his desk, where a pile of pads sat. "These are all the files we have."

Raina stood at the other side of the desk, picking up a pad to read. "Your son was the first patient?" He nodded. "How would you feel if I spoke to your kids. They might be able to help." He left her question lingering in the air, unsure how his two worlds would fit together. Sensing his reluctance, she gave him an out. "I could ask Lieutenant Dax to do it, if you rather I didn't meet them."

"Do you want to meet them?" He asked, a flutter of hope started in his chest.

"As a friend, I would like to."

"Just a friend?" He said that a little harsher than he intended.

"As much as I would love to be introduced to them as your…. what are we, anyway?"

"Partners?" He offered, relieved when she half smiled at the suggestion.

"As your partner and If we get any further then we'll tell them that, but they need to feel like they have your undivided attention right now."

It amazed him that someone so young could be so wise. She was right, they needed to feel important, especially now they have found themselves motherless. "I'll have my mother bring them here."

* * *

Raina had to admit to herself that she was nervous. She stood still as Dukat greeted his children, followed by an older woman whom she guessed was his mother. She could sense immediate dislike coming from his mother and only made her more nervous.

"Who is this?" The woman asked, pointing angrily at Raina.

"A friend." Dukat replied. "Lieutenant Cavendish."

"Are you sleeping with her?"

"Mother!" He bellowed, glaring at her. "She is here to question the children."

Raina had to break the tension, even if it was just for the children's sake. She approached the children, her attention fully on them as she crouched down. "I'm Raina. I'm here to make sure your brother gets better. I think you might be able to help me."

"How?" The boy answered, slightly distrustful of the human.

"Come sit with me and I'll explain it." All of them sat on a sofa in the corner of the office as Dukat and his mother stood back to supervise. "I need to know everything that your brother did the day before he got ill. Can you help me?" She asked gently, hoping to put the children at ease. The children nodded and began to tell her everything they remembered.

An hour later, the children were leading her to a public-but-rarely-used replicator, escorted by Dukat. Raina nearly jumped when she felt a tug on her hand. She looked down to see Talyn holding on to her finger, her blue eyes pleading with Raina. Raina smiled at the little girl, taking her hand properly in her own. "Thank you." A sweet little voice said as they continued to walk. Raina turned her head slightly to look at Dukat. His face was stoic as usual, but she could sense what he kept hidden.

Raina and Talyn moved ahead slightly, when Dukat and Mekor slowed to talk to another officer. As they approached the replicator, Raina felt an overwhelming sense of dread. She threw herself around Talyn as an explosion erupted from the replicator, knocking everyone nearby to the ground and destroying the building the replicator was attached to. Dukat rushed to the scene, his heart frozen as he saw his lover and daughter on the ground, neither moving.


	13. Chapter 13

_Stepping out of the shuttle, Raina looked around in awe. She had finally made it to the academy. After the pain of losing her mother at 15, she wasn't ready to join Starfleet so soon after, but the month after her 17_ _th_ _ birthday she made the decision that her mother would be proud of. She had spent time prepping for Starfleet, learning as much as she could. Engineering and genetics were her passions, but her end goal was always to have her own command. Being a Cavendish meant that she had the reputation to live up to. Raina walked to the student admissions building, surrounded by other students, some nervous, some excited like her. Taking a seat, she smiled at the Vulcan male beside her, who nodded respectfully in return. _

_A grey haired human entered the room, scrutinizing all the new students. "Morning Cadets. I am Professor Shepard. Welcome to Starfleet Academy." The Professor moved around the room with purposeful steps. "When I point at you, I want a name, reasons for joining Starfleet and goals." He pointed at a male trill, who stood up with too much eagerness. "Go."_

"_Nadin Kars. Exploration. Engineering." He said quickly before sitting down._

_A Vulcan female stood up next. "Dema. To expand my mind. Command."_

_The Professor pointed at Raina next. She stood up knowing the moment she said her name all eyes would be on her. "Raina Cavendish. I want to make the impossible, possible. Command."_

_Shepard regarded the young woman. "A Cavendish? As in….?"_

"_Admiral John Cavendish is my father, sir."_

"_People will expect great things from you, Cadet." He warned._

_Raina smiled. "I expect greater things from myself, Professor."_

_Shepard couldn't help but smile at Raina. She had what it took to go the distance in Starfleet. "Well, I look forward to seeing what you can do."_

_By lunchtime, Raina had met several students that had already become friends. While walking to the mess hall, she had caught the eye of another Cadet that she had seen in the welcome meet. In an instance, he was beside her. "Can I help you, Cadet?" She asked, giving him a sly smile._

"_You can help by having lunch with me."_

_Raina laughed at his lousy pick up. "Do I get to know your name first?"_

"_I'm Jason Cohen and you have very beautiful eyes."_

"_That's much better." She picked up her pace, moving away from him. "Are you coming?" She called over her shoulder._

"_Oh, you'll see me soon enough, Raina." He said, his voice low and menacing._

Raina gasped for air as her eyes snapped open. She tried to sit up, but her head hurt so much she had to flop back down on the bed. Confusion hit her as she tried to piece together what happened. She guessed she was in a hospital but couldn't remember why. The door to her room opened and familiar face walked in. "Julian, where am I?"

"You're in hospital. You were caught in an explosion and knocked unconscious." He told her as he checked her vitals. "How are you feeling?" He put his hand on hers, stroking his thumb over her knuckles.

"My head feels like I've been a weeklong drinking binge with Klingons."

Julian laughed. "You had us worried."

Raina sat up suddenly despite the pain in her head, panic rising in her throat. "Julian, where's Talyn? Is she ok?"

"She's fine." He assured her. "Gul Dukat had to bribe her to leave your side though. She was sobbing when they brought you here."

Raina huffed out a relieved breath, laying back down again. "I need some pain relief."

Julian prepared the hypo with pain relief and pressed it into her neck. "That should make you feel better. But I want you to stay in for a few more hours." He gave a stern look, but there was a smile behind it. "I know you, Raina."

"You're so bossy." She teased.

"I'm a doctor. I'm allowed to be bossy." He caressed her forehead, giving her an easy smile. "I'll come back later."

As Julian left, she allowed her eyes to close, too weary to keep them open much longer. She sighed deeply, relieved that little Talyn was ok. She would never forgive herself if she was seriously hurt or worse. The door to her room opened again, but Raina didn't have the energy to even open her eyes. She whimpered slightly as a familiar feeling washed over her, soothing her weary body and soul instantly. A sigh of contentment escaped her as a gentle kiss was pressed into her forehead. "Hi, lover." She chuckled, turning towards him. The worry on his face nearly broke her heart. She reached up to caress his face. "I'm fine, love." She cooed.

"Please don't do that to me again." Dukat pleaded.

"How's Talyn and Mekor?"

He sighed as he sat down on her bed. "Mekor has said very little and Talyn is blaming herself."

"And Jacen?"

"Much the same, although your doctor friend has managed to stall the disease for now." He gave her an apologetic look, his head slumping down. "I think I may have made the good doctor suspicious."

She strained herself to sit up, scooting closer to him. "It's fine. Julian isn't the judgemental sort and he'll keep quiet. I love you, Skrain and I won't feel ashamed of that."

He caught her lips with his in a tender kiss. He wanted nothing more than to spend the night hours holding her in his arms, having come so close to losing her for good. He couldn't let that happen. She so deeply embedded into his very being that the pain would end him. "I love you." He whispered against her lips. "Will you stay with us tonight?"

She nodded. "Keep your hands to yourself though. I don't want to add to the kids worries."

* * *

Raina wasn't sure how to feel when she stood in Dukat's home. It was his marital home. A home he shared for many years when another woman and raised kids within the walls. She felt like an intruder and should leave immediately. His arms wrapped around her as if he sensed her apprehension. "It's a beautiful house."

"Hmmm, never felt like a home to me." He rued. "You need to lie down."

When led her to his bedroom, she a wave of revulsion hit her. She couldn't sleep in the same sheets as he slept in with his wife. That was too much even for her. "Skrain, did you and your wife share a bed?" She asked, trying to hide her panic.

He could see in her eyes that the enormity of sleeping with a married man had hit her quickly. While so far away it was easier for both of them to pretend that neither had any attachments, but in his home that he shared with his wife, it couldn't be hidden. He had one chance to prevent her backing away from him so only honesty would work. He sat on the bed, trying to tempt her into his arms but she stayed by the door. "Athra and I haven't had anything that came close to a marriage since Talyn was conceived. We married out of duty, had children out of expectations and stayed together because it was easier." The weight his upper armour suddenly felt unbearable, so heavy that he had to take it off.

"But now she's gone?"

"I'm glad she's gone." He said bitterly. "Sad for my children though. They deserve more than a mother who forgets them so easily."

Raina felt overwhelming guilt wash over her. She didn't know when his feelings became hers, but it told her of a bond that ran far deeper than either of them realised. She approached the bed, standing in between his legs. "You're a good father, Skrain. Your kids will be fine because of you and if you don't fancy leaving them with your mother all the time, then bring them to DS9. I'd love to have them around."

Dukat finally understood what his cousin meant when he called him a "fortunate idiot." He really was fortunate to have such a wonderful, passion woman. If he could, he'd parade his good fortune in front of the other officers, for them to know he had what most of them could only dream of. "Lay with me a while?"

She laughed wickedly as she pushed him flat on the bed, climbing on the bed to hover over him. "I can think of a better use of our time." Her lips met his with light, teasing kisses, tugging on his lower lip.

"I thought I was meant to keep my hands to myself." He grinned as he gripped on to her hips, pulling her flush against him. His hands slipped under the fabric of her vest, the warmth of her soft skin soothing his soul.

Raina sat up, purposely grinding her backside into his groin. Gripping on the hem of the vest, she yanked it over her head before throwing it on to a chair in the corner. "Perhaps I should stop there?" She gave him a look that nearly sent him over the edge.

"Perhaps not." He pulled the straps of her bra down, watching eagerly as she deftly undid it with one hand and discarded it. His breath hitched as she slowly, teasingly pulled down the zip of his body suit. She pressed a kiss into his chest as her hands slipped into his uniform. "What have you done to me?" He groaned, gasping as her fingernails grazed the most sensitive part of his chest.

She leant down to caress his nose with her own. "I can't explain it, Skrain. From the moment we met, I feel bound to you." She pressed her forehead to his, cradling his face with her hands. "Embrace it, lover and you'll understand it."

He opened his mind to her, and he felt overwhelmed by her emotions that his body began to shake. He had no words he could speak, instead he pulled her to him with a bruising kiss. His tongue teased her mouth open and the feel of her warm human tongue on his sent waves of desire to his core.

She pulled away and quickly undid her trousers with shaky hands. She pulled him up and forced his body suit down his arms, frustrated at the levels of clothing they still had on their lower bodies. They both stripped their boots and trousers, both caught in a lustful haze, trying to strip each other as quickly as they could. "I need you." She pleaded.

They fell on to the bed into a tangled heap, limps intertwined, hands caressing every inch of the skin they could reach. He entered her slowly, both groaning at the connection. They clung to each other as he moved slowly, the ridges on his Cho'Ch grazing the walls of her vagina in the most delicious way. She gripped the back his head, pulling him to her for a desperate kiss, her whimpers of passion getting lost against his lips.

He pushed her arms above her head, pinning them to the bed. He pulled his lips from hers, eager to taste her skin, kissing her throat and shoulders. He nipped her skin experimentally, drawing a quick, heavy groan from her, so he did it again. In response, she freed her arms and her nails dug into the skin of his back, making him hiss with more pleasure than it should have given him. He slid his arms under her and lift her from the mattress to cradle her in his arms, settling her into his lap, giving her more control. She rolled her hips back and forth as the new position caused a ridge at the base of his Cho'Ch to graze against her clit. "Oh god." She cried out as her orgasm has built to unbearable levels and her body began to shake. All the air escaped from her lungs and she clung to him desperately as she climaxed, crying out his name.

They collapsed back into the bed and Dukat lifted her legs to rest on his shoulders as he pounded into her, desperate for his own release. She whispered into his ear to spur him and he willingly threw himself over the edge as his body went ridged with his orgasm. He spilled into her, coating her vagina walls with his ejaculate. He collapsed on top of her and the laid together in a sweaty breathless heap. They kissed lazily, lovingly as they came down from their post-coital high.

It was Raina that spoke first. "Such a bastard." She laughed.

"What?" He shrugged, nipping the skin of her neck.

"You know what, Gul Dukat." She pushed him away, but he wouldn't move. "You got me here with nefarious intent."

He moved, holding himself above her. "I got you here so I could worship you as you should be."

She laughed against his tender kiss. "I love you, you devious swine."

"I love you, my human beauty." They kissed lazily, until they heard movement downstairs. "Shit, that'll be my mother."

They pulled apart, getting dressed as quickly as they could. Dukat left the room quickly, as Raina fixed the bed and climbed into it at least so she could pretend that she had been sleeping. The sound of raised voices started to alarm her and when the sound of two sets of feet stomped up the stairs, she closed her eyes. Two people entered the room and she sensed one of them hovering over her.

"So, you are sleeping with this…Human." His mother angrily spat at her son.

"Shut up, mother." He growled. "She saved Talyn's life."

"Athra might still come back."

"She walked out on my children. I care not if I never see her again."

"Do you love her, this Human?"

"Yes, mother, I do." He said with confidence.

"I could disown you." She threatened.

"Do what you will mother. But you'll be left with nothing but the sting of your own bitterness."

His mother seemed to think over his harsh words. "I will accept her when she proves herself. I will bring the children home shortly."

Dukat sighed heavily when his mother left. He laid on the bed next Raina, pulling her close to him. "I apologise." He uttered as he pressed a kiss into her neck.

She turned to him, laughing. "Why. She'll have the best reaction of our parents, because my father will kill you when he finds out."

"I'm glad you find it amusing." He huffed.

"She'll come around and my father will get over it." She shrugged. "He'll just hurt you a bit first."

He kissed her gently, caressing her silky brown locks. "For you, I will endure."


	14. Chapter 14

The frustration that Raina felt couldn't be measured. She had been on Cardassia for over a week and the Starfleet team were no closer to find a cure for the virus that threatened the life of Jacen and the others. Morale was at an all time low with the team as every time it seemed that they had take a step forward, they end up taking two back again. She had seen very little Dukat in that week as he divided his time between his children and his duty. She knew he missed her and that was enough for now.

The lure of sleep felt too strong to ignore, so she let her head rest of the desk, her eyes closing slowly. Maybe just a little power nap would rejuvenate her mind. Her body relaxed as she drifted off. Within minutes, she felt a hand caressing her head, moving her hair away for her face. _"Rosie?" _A voice spoke in a soothing dulcet tone. So familiar and comforting. _"Look at me, Rosie." _It spoke again.

Raina reluctantly lifted her head off the desk, her eyes blurry from sleep and the need for sleep. "Mum?" There she was, the beautiful and serene, Eleanor Cavendish. "It's been a long time."

"You look tired, Rosie." Eleanor gave her daughter a sad smile.

"I feel like I'm chasing my own tail, mum." She groaned, rubbing at her eyes. "A nine year old boy could die because of my failure. Not to mention dozens of others."

"It's hurting you more because he is your lover's son."

Raina looked at her mother in shock. "How did you know?"

"I've always known. Don't you remember?" When daughter shook her head, Eleanor laughed. "When you were ten, your grandmother asked you what kind of man you wished to marry. You said a mysterious, handsome stranger from beyond the stars. He is linked your destiny now."

"So, how can I be sure what we feel is real?" Raina's heading starting spinning. "What if he only loves me because he is compelled to?"

"Trust yourself, Rosie." Eleanor told her daughter. "You should ask your father for your genetics work from your Academy days." And just like that, Eleanor had gone.

Raina's head snapped up, fully alert but very confused. It had been a long time since her mother had appeared to her. It still hurt too much to think about her too often, especially during the tough times when she really needed her mother. What did her mother mean when she said Dukat was linked to her destiny? When she stepped foot on Cardassia, she felt like she'd be there before. It was her dreams. Ever since she could remember, she dreamt of a mysterious world. A beautiful, mainly subtropical world with miles of desert next to sprawling cities. She gave herself a shake, deciding to debate her supposed destiny with herself later. She had work to do and she couldn't ignore her mother's parting words.

Later, after a call to her father, she had everything from her genetics dissertation. She didn't know what she was supposed to be looking for, but her mother had never let her down. She sat in the office that she was given, looking through hundreds of pages of research and notes, for hours. The need for food had been forgotten and her weary eyes had refused to give up. So focused she was on what she was reading, she didn't hear the door to her office open.

"Have you set foot out of this office since this morning?" A familiar voice asked.

Raina put what she was reading down and turned to her lover. "What time is it?"

"It's late." Dukat sat on the desk, looking at all the files she had scattered on the top. "What are you reading?" He asked, pressing a kiss on her forehead.

"Just research from my Academy days." She yawned, rubbing her eyes. "I thought it might help. It involves Cardassian/Human hybrid DNA."

"I wasn't aware that Cardassians and Humans did much breeding."

Raina threw a glare at him. "It was my daughter's DNA, you dick." She muttered angrily.

Dukat wasn't a man who was used to feeling guilty over a thoughtless comment, but when it came to Raina, her pain hurt him. "That was thoughtless of me. I apologise."

She sighed deeply, resting her head on his thigh. "I'm sorry, lover. I'm just so tired."

"So, come home. Talyn wants you to read her a story." He wasn't going to give her the option of saying no. "Come." He ordered, picking up the files and putting him into her bag.

"I thought I supposed to be the bossy one." She quipped.

"Only in private." He fired back with a smug smirk. Together, they walked through Cardassian Central Command, keeping a distance apart to avoid arousing suspicion. Several officers stopped to speak to Dukat, asking just general questions. Then the subject of the Human came up, but Dukat kept up his arrogant façade. "Be nice to it. Don't want to offend the delicate Human." He sneered in her direction.

Raina scoffed, walking to stand side by side with him. "The only thing that offends me is having to look at your smug, arrogant face."

Dukat growled at her. "Behave or I'll do something that I might regret."

"What? Like be an even bigger xenophobic, detestable, hateful scumbag than you are now?" She threw the others a glare and stormed off to the exit.

"I won't be held responsible if you get hurt, Human." Dukat called out dismissively. Once he'd finished talking to the officers, he left the building wondering where Raina had disappeared to. Admittedly, he started to worry. Suddenly, he felt something press into his lower back. "That better not be a weapon." He said to the mysterious person, as he kept his stoic demeanour.

"I am the weapon." A sultry voice purred into his ear.

"A deadly weapon?" He smirked as a familiar sent filled his nostrils.

"Oh, the deadliest." Raina teased as she stepped from behind him. "So are we going home?"

* * *

Raina couldn't explain it or even when it happened, but she felt strangely maternal towards Dukat's children. She laid in her bed, reading a story in Urdaasi as the Talyn clung to her as if she were her mother. Talyn had taken to Raina almost instantly, where Mekor had mostly kept his distance, to which Raina respected. She had visited Jacen, but he'd been mostly asleep when she was there, but she did get a smile out of him once. Her growing love for those children were the reason that she had kept working herself exhausted. She had to save Jacen, for his own sake as well as his father and siblings.

"Raina?" Talyn said in a sleepy voice.

"Yes, birdie?"

"Do you like my father?"

The look of hope on Talyn's face was like a shock to the heart. "Yes, I do. Why do you ask?"

"He's likes you. I heard him talking to Akellen about you. He said he would miss you when you go home."

Raina laughed, kissing the girl on her forehead. "Oh birdie, I'll miss all of you." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shadow just outside the bedroom door. "Mekor, come in. I don't bite."

Mekor stepped just inside the room. "Can I hear the story?" He asked in a quiet voice.

Raina smiled, patting the bed on the other side of her. "Jump on board, sunshine."

Mekor eagerly climbed under the blanket before settling his head on her shoulder. "This is my favourite story."

"Next time I'm here I'll bring my favourite to read."

* * *

Dukat finished some paperwork he had neglected for the last few days. He took the opportunity to finish it while Raina was busy with the children. Leaving his office, he walked to Talyn's bedroom expecting to hear her calming voice, but there was only silence. He walked into her room proper and strange feeling washed over him. Raina was fast asleep in the middle of two of his children, also fast asleep. He was in two minds about waking her or letting her sleep as she looked so peaceful. He shook her bare foot, causing her to wake with a slight start. "Raina." He whispered.

Raina carefully extracted herself from the middle of the children, taking care not to wake them. Carefully, clambering off the bed, she stretched her body and yawned. "Exhaustion finally caught up with me."

He wrapped an arm around her, giving her gentle kiss. "Would it be against the rules if you slept in my bed?"

"Rules don't really matter now. Talyn knows so pretty sure Mekor does too." She allowed him to lead her to his room and the most obscenely sized bed she'd ever seen. "Do you share with more than one woman?" She joked.

He rolled his eyes in response. He towered over her, pressing her body into his. "I like my space. Although, I'm more than happy to share with such a beautiful creature." He lifted her up and they fell on the bed together, laughing between teasing kisses.

After a round of gentle and passion sex, they laid together chatting. "Raina? What does Rosie mean?" He asked as he massaged her scalp with his blunt fingers.

Raina sat up slightly to look at him, stilling at the mention of her nickname. She had no idea how he would even know of that name. Only two people ever called her by that name, and one had died. "Rose is my middle name. My mum called me, Rosie from the moment I was born. Dad did too, but he stopped when she died. How did you know about that?"

"I fell asleep when I was at the hospital and a white orb appeared next to Jacen's bed." Dukat noticed a tear fall out of Raina's left eye and began to drip down her cheek. He gently wiped it away with his thumb. "It spoke in a soft voice and said, "Look after my Rosie." Somehow, I knew what it meant."

"Thanks mum." She whispered as her tears flowed dripping on to his chest. "She's just making sure I get what I asked for."

"What do you mean?"

She sat up, turning away from him out of fear that he'd ridicule her. "When I was ten, my grandmother asked me what kind of man I wished to marry. I said, he'd be a mysterious, handsome stranger from beyond the stars."

Dukat pulled her down into his arms, peppering her forehead with kisses. "That explains why I haven't been able to remove you from my mind since we met."

Raina didn't trust people so easily, but every fibre of her being told her she could trust him. "Skrain, there are things about me that you will discover. If you can't handle it or I can't trust you then I'll go now."

He could feel the pain and fear running through her. From the moment they met, he knew she wasn't just any Human. She had the ability to draw people to her, even people who would have been a natural enemy. He'd never felt such a devotion to and from another before. It was an alien experience to him but now he had it, he would never be able to live without it. He took her hand and pressed it into his bare chest, above his heart. A heart people were sure he never had. "This heart, as cold, selfish and hardened as it is, belongs to you."

Raina smiled before pressing a kiss into his chest. "It feels perfect to me."


	15. Chapter 15

Glinn Loran had been watching the Human ever since she had been on Cardassia. She moved through Headquarters like a wraith on a mission, determined and focused. But that was Raina all over. He also observed Gul Dukat watching her and touching her in a way that told him that they were lovers. He had seen them in an intimate embrace when they thought no one would be around to see. Loran wanted nothing more than to talk to her and embrace her, but he couldn't, shouldn't. He had no idea how she would react to him, since she thought he was dead. That was the hardest part for him. To pretend he was dead, knowing that she was likely still reeling from his loss.

He watched her go into her office alone, no doubt to continue all the work she had been doing. Determinedly, he walked to the door of her office, but faltered as he stared at the metal door. If he walked in, he'd break his cover, but he could trust Raina. He willed himself to press the door chime and waited until her weary voice summoned him in.

Raina looked up to greet the man, wondering what he wanted. Most Cardassians in headquarters left her alone. "Can I help you?" The man just stared at her and she couldn't tell if he meant her harm or not. "I think you should leave." She told him as she kept her hand on her phaser hidden under the desk.

He stepped forward. "I don't want to scare you, but I needed to see you."

Raina gripped her gun hard. "Why? You don't know me."

He chuckled, moving closer to her desk. "I know you very well, Ray-ray."

Raina's eyes widened in shock, her chest tightened, and a lump formed in her throat. Only her brothers called her Ray-ray. Other family members either called her, Rain or Ray. When she looked into the man's big blue eyes, a bolt of familiarity hit her. "Drew?" She gasped, pressing her hand into her chest for fear it would burst out of her chest.

"Even as a Cardassian you recognise your favourite brother?"

She stood up on shaky legs and moved to the window. "I saw your body."

"It wasn't me." He could sense her anger. The Cavendish siblings could never hide their emotions from each other. "I suppose I should tell you everything."

"Well…" She bit. "How come you aren't dead would be a good place to start."

"Ok. I managed to escape from Gul Tretol only to be picked up a unit working for Gul-Tar Keve. They effectively saved my life by transporting me to their ship as my stolen vessel was about to blow up."

"And now?"

"Gul-Tar Keve made me an offer. He suspects there are spies hidden in the ranks and he needed someone he could trust. So I accepted the deal and they modified me to appear Cardassian."

"And your body? Which poor sod was laying in that coffin?"

"He was a civilian found murdered. They modified him to look like me as much as they could. He was pretty badly beaten so we figured it would be a good cover." He frowned as his little sister refused to look at him. "Don't worry, he was returned to his family."

The rage bubbled away in her veins, knowing what she went through to get his body back. "Do you know I volunteered myself for interrogation to get you back? I had to drag up some very painful memories to Cardassians for you." She laughed humourlessly. "Wish I hadn't have bothered. Does dad know?"

"He does." Those words were a dagger to Andrew's heart. He couldn't bear for her to hate him. She was his little sister and he loved her. Causing her so much pain wasn't what he wanted, but he had little choice. He approached her, putting a hand on her shoulder, relieved when she didn't flinch away. "I've watched you, Raina. You look so tired, but I see happiness in your eyes. A spark that I thought I never see again."

She knew he was talking about Dukat. They had been careless lately in their affection towards each other. She looked at her brother with a brief smile, unable to maintain her anger. "I better not get the big brother speech."

"I'll be giving this man of yours the speech." He pulled her into his arms, holding her as tight as she held him. "I hear him talking to another about you. He's got it really bad." He laughed as she did.

Gul Dukat walked into Raina's office as he had done many times before. Normally, she would be sat on her desk, so engrossed in her work that it would take a few minutes for her to realise he was there. Only today, he found her wrapped up in the arms of another Cardassian. A taller, younger, well-built Cardassian. Rage and jealousy roared to the surface. "You two look cosy." He sneered.

Raina pulled away from her brother, wiping her tears away with both hands. "Andrew, you can explain this."

"Explain what." Dukat asked, looking between Raina and Andrew.

Andrew composed himself and walked towards Dukat, extending his hand to him. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to steal your woman." He joked.

"Andrew!" Raina scolded her brother for his stupid joke.

The name triggered a memory in Dukat's head. Andrew Cavendish was Raina's favourite brother and he remembered her devastation when she stood over his dead body. He shook the man's hand quickly before moving over to Raina, wrapping his arm around her. "I'm sure there's a story. One of which I'm eager to hear."

Andrew gave him the full story. The subject turned to Gul Tretol and Andrew had been pleased to learn that Dukat had ruined his life. "So, how long have you been together and does the old man know?"

Raina rolled her eyes at her brother. Even pretending to be a Cardassian hadn't driven out his old lady like gossip tendencies. "About six months and no, dad doesn't know. Starfleet were quite clear that I should stay away from Cardassians."

Dukat turned to Raina with a smug smirk on this face. "I thought your family would object."

Andrew laughed, smacking the older man on the back. "We could object, friend but it would get us nowhere." He gave his sister a quick hug and kissed her cheek. "I better get back to it. My name is Glinn Loran if you want to find me."

Dukat extended his hand to him. "It was a pleasure to meet you." He said, and he meant it. For obvious reasons, he couldn't be too involved in her world, the way she was in his, but meeting her brother was a step forward in merging their lives together.

"Likewise. And remember, you are allowed to say no to her sometimes." He winked at his sister before leaving her office.

Raina waited until her brother left, then the shock of knowing her beloved brother was alive. Heart-breaking sobs escaped her as she slumped against Dukat. He held her tightly peppering her forehead with kisses until she managed to compose herself. She pulled herself upright and wiped her tears away. "I need to get to the hospital. Julian and I think we might have a cure."

"Are you ok?" He asked gently, tenderly kissing her lips.

"I'm good. The shock is wearing off now." She huffed out a shaky breath. "Let's go."

* * *

Raina looked out of the window at the hospital, the streets below bathed in a dark orange hue as the sun peered over the horizon. She looked over to Dukat who was asleep and snoring slightly on the sofa in the room, Talyn stretched out on his chest and Mekor curled up in a ball at his feet, his face buried into the back of the sofa. It was a worrying time for all of them as the team devised a new treatment for the patients. They had tested a combination of cortisone, tricordazine in a low dose and trianoline on tissue taken from the patients. In a human such a cocktail of drugs would put the patient into cardiac arrest, but on the Cardassian physiology, it yielded positive results. But, Jacen needed to be monitored throughout the night as with any medication, there were possible side effects.

She moved around the room, trying to stretch out her aching muscles. She dared not to sit down for fear she'd fall asleep. She checked the monitor to make sure Jacen's vitals were still stable. She patted his hand, giving him a smile even though he wouldn't see it. Her eyes drifted close for a second, just to ease the stinging in them. Suddenly, a little hand tugged on hers, causing her eyes to snap open again. "Hey, Jacen. How are you feeling?" She cooed, stroking his forehead.

"Better." He croaked out. "I'm really hungry."

Raina chuckled, giving him a kiss on his right temple. "Let's not wake the others yet. I'll be back with food." Raina snuck out of the room to find a doctor and food. When she went back to the room, the doctor had finished his assessment of Jacen. "Is he ok to eat?"

"Yes, but small meals to begin with and plenty of fluids." The doctor made a move to leave but stopped and put his hand on her shoulder. "I know not everyone agrees, but the medical staff have really appreciated your team helping us. May we have some files to keep if this occurs again?"

"Thank you. I have submitted all the research into your hospital database. I thought it might prove helpful in other areas too." The doctor nodded in gratitude, almost surprised that she already supplied the information. Raina turned to Jacen, who was sitting up reading. "It's nothing too exciting but I have soup and bread for you."

Jacen eagerly devoured the soup and bread, feeling a bit full after the last bite. His face dropped and tears pricked at his eyes. "My mother left me." He sobbed.

It was heart breaking to see him cry. Raina moved next to him and wrapped her arms around him. He sobbed into her chest, which only made her want to cry herself. She could do serious harm to Athra for what she had done. They were three of the sweetest children that she'd ever met, and she couldn't believe someone would walk away from them. "Shhh, sweet boy. I'm always here for you."

Dukat could see the glare from the sun through his eyelids, causing him to sling an arm over his eyes. He reluctantly opened them, blocking out the sun until his weary eyes had accustomed to the light again. He carefully moved from the sofa, trying not to wake Talyn. Standing up, he stretched his muscles and sighed deeply. The sight of a sound asleep Raina and Jacen made him smile. He walked to the other side of the bed to wake Raina even though she looked tired even in sleep. "Raina?" He whispered in her ear.

She groaned, reluctantly opening her eyes. "I was having a nice dream then."

"What about?" He asked as he helped her get up from the bed.

"All of us were on a beach. Warm weather, beautiful blue waters, sandcastles. You were getting annoyed because yours wouldn't stay up. Then I was holding a new-born baby, laughing as the kids tried to bury you in the sand."

He chuckled at the image of it. "Sounds correct. The odds are not in my favour against the four of you."

"Oh you love it." She whispered against his lips, giving him a teasing kiss.

Three days later, Jacen was allowed to return home provided that Raina monitored his temperature, blood pressure and cell count daily, something she was more than happy to do if it meant Jacen could be home. Starfleet had begrudgingly given Raina permission to stay for another three weeks to monitor the patients and to finish her investigation. It concerned Starfleet that the infection appeared to have the hallmarks of Starfleet research and the Cardassians seem to tolerate Raina, so she was the best person to remain. Her former mentor had made her case and told Admiralty, if the Cardassians had a strained trust in her, then her own superiors had to trust her too.


	16. Chapter 16

Saying goodbye to the kids was going to be hard on Raina, but she was determined to enjoy her last few days with them. Dukat had told the children that Raina was about to turn 26 and they convinced their father to take her to the cliffs overlooking the town of Urdassa. She had no idea where they were going until they got there. The view took her breath away. It was the kind of birthday she liked. Just having her family around her to play games and eat. She spoke to her father and had messages from her brothers, aunt, uncle and three cousins. She also got an unexpected birthday by way of a promotion to Lieutenant Commander. She had no idea Starfleet Command had even considered her for promotion, but she wasn't about to question it.

She left the others asleep in the tents to paint the town with the sunrise rising above it. She didn't paint often but when she did, it soothed her soul. She felt at home on Cardassia, like she was meant to be there. She missed being on Earth but Cardassia had her heart. She wasn't sure if it was it was the planet itself or the fact the loves of her life were on it.

The rustling of the tent pulled her out her musings and she turned to see mussy looking Dukat emerging from the tent they shared. "You look so sexy with your hair like that."

"My hair wouldn't look like this if someone wasn't pulling it so much last night." He grumbled, trying to smooth his hair back.

"Come here and kiss me." He immediately gifted her a teasing kiss. "I think I might build a house and retire here."

"I own this land…" He started. "And I drive a hard bargain." He held his hand out to help her up.

She grinned, taking his hand, gasping as she was pulled roughly into his arms. "I've been on the end of that hard bargain many times."

Instead of a lust filled comeback, he wrapped his arms around her tightly. "I want to steal you away."

"One day, I'll let you. Let me at least make Captain first."

"If they take too long, I'll torture them."

Raina laughed with her face buried into his neck scales. Their romantic interlude was interrupted by Talyn unceremoniously climbing out of the other tent. "Well good morning, Birdie." Raina greeted her, cheerfully.

"Morning." Talyn groaned. "Raina can you do my hair?"

"Of course." Raina and Talyn picked a spot to sit while Dukat went to wake the boys. Talyn sat patiently as Raina plaited her back in a similar way she wore her own. The boys appeared immediately sitting around her, Jacen resting his head against her back.

It was Jacen who noticed the mark on Raina's wrist. "Raina, what is that on your wrist?"

She looked at her wrist and sadness tugged at her. Despite it being hard to talk about, she was glad in a way that they asked. Ellie was her daughter and very real to her. She didn't want to hide Ellie's brief existence just because it hurt. "They are my daughters footprints."

"Where is she?" Talyn asked, innocently.

"She died while was still growing inside me." When a tear fell down her cheek, Mekor wiped it away. "Her name is Eleanor, after my mother. She was part Cardassian and her eye ridges looked smooth. She didn't have a forehead chest though."

"How old would she be now?" Mekor asked.

"Her sixth birthday would have been tomorrow. She was due 3 days after my twentieth birthday." She let out a shaky sigh, but when the kids hugged her in unison, the hurt spilled out. "I love you three." She whispered.

Dukat watched his children comfort his partner while she expressed her pain at losing her daughter. He too lost a daughter so knew what the pain felt like. How much guilt she was carried with her. He hadn't told her about the daughter he had with his Bajoran mistress, mainly because he wasn't ready to confront the guilt he felt. Raina would understand why he kept it a secret and why he wasn't ready to open that wound. "Come everyone, let's get some breakfast."

"If it's alright with you guys, I'm gonna stay here." Raina said, smiling sadly.

Dukat frowned. "Mekor, take your brother and sister to get breakfast." He waited until the children left then he sat down beside his love, pulling her into his arms. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I don't really talk about her much." She sniffed, melting in his loving embrace.

"I had another daughter." He surprised himself at how easy it spilled from his thoughts.

"What happened to her?" Raina asked, sitting up to look at him. She could feel his guilt.

"When I was Prefect of Bajor, I had a mistress, well several. Her name was Tora Naprem and we had a daughter could Ziyal. With the occupation coming to an end and knowing that Ziyal would never be accepted on Bajor or Cardassia, I sent them on a ship to Lissepia where they could live in peace. From the Intelligence I could gather, the ship was attacked and never seen again."

"Did you ever try to find them?"

"Many times over the years, but nothing was ever found." He let out a long mournful sigh. "I should have had the decency to escort them there myself."

"Hindsight is a pointless thing. I forever go over things I could have done differently."

"Perhaps."

An uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach. Just how many mistresses did he have? "So how many mistresses did you have?"

Dukat felt something that he'd never felt before; terrified. "About 20 or so." The look of disgust on Raina's face physically hurt.

"When Major Kira said you were obsessed with Bajorans, she wasn't kidding. Did you at least give those women an option whether they wanted to sleep with you or not?"

"How can you even ask me that?" He yelled; his face contorted with anger. She had effectively asked if he coerced those women into having sex with him.

Raina froze, like a dear caught in the headlights. He looked so furious with what she said but she needed to know. She swore she would never use her abilities for her gain, but she broke into his unguarded mind to search his memories. She found the answers she sought. Those women fell for him just like she did. But she suspected that they fell for him because he treated them well and took care of them. A pain spread through her chest, taking her breath away. It was his pain she was feeling, and she felt truly awful for it. "I'm sorry. I should never have asked you that." She looked away, burning with shame. "Both of us have so many issues and insecurities, I worry we may hurt each other unforgivably one day."

His anger faded, replaced with sadness. "I cared for those women, even loved some of them. They gave me what I felt I lacked." He stopped to look at her, running his fingers in her hair. "Then I met a stubborn, arrogant, demanding, beautiful, intelligent, loving Human and I…" He stopped, unable to verbalise what he was feeling. "I was never very good at this romantic stuff."

Raina laughed, throwing herself against him. "You're doing a fine job."

"What is it that you need from me? I'll give it to you."

"I just need your love, respect and loyalty and I'll more than give it back in return."

"Blow jobs?" He asked with a salacious tone. In a flash, he found himself flat on his back with a mischievous looking Raina on top of him.

"You are such pervert." She kissed him eagerly. "But you're my pervert. No one else's." She kissed him again, all the more eagerly, then a chorus of disgusted noises disrupted them.

"If you wanted us out of the way, you could have just asked." Mekor said, embarrassed but smiling.

Raina got up and lightly kicked Dukat's leg. "Just telling your father off. He forgets himself sometimes."

"Raina, we got this for you."

Jacen handed her a strange plant, pink in colour but she could tell it was still young. "What is it?"

"It's a cherella tree, we thought we could plant it tomorrow for Eleanor."

Raina felt the tears pool in her eyes as she looked down at the plant. A tear and then another fell into the pot. She wrapped her arms around all three children, holding them close. "She would have loved you."

The next day on Eleanor's sixth birthday, they planted the tree and the children made a sign for the tree. When Raina read the sign, it brought on more tears. It read, "_A precious daughter and a special little sister. Eleanor Rose Cavendish." _Among the roots, Raina laid to rest her daughters ashes, surrounded by her spiritual sons and daughter, for that's what she felt them to be and her partner.

"Are you ok?" Dukat asked as he kissed her forehead.

"She's at peace now." A gentle wind breezed through her hair and took away some of the pain that she felt burdened by. There was the pain of knowing that she may never have the opportunity to carry her own children again, but in some ways she had made peace with that. There were ways she could have children if she wanted them at some point in the future. Whether that would be with Dukat she couldn't be sure, although there was the hope. They still had issues they had to navigate before any firm future could be established.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a time jump in the next chapter about 2 years.


	17. Chapter 17

Even with the lights off in her cabin, Raina still felt like the room was spinning. She felt horrifically sick and she hadn't been able to lift her head from the pillow since her shift finished the day before. She didn't want to be ill, since Dukat was due in the next day. It had been two years since they started their relationship and they wanted to celebrate. Even though only a couple of people knew about their relationship, it was still a solid relationship and it was going better than either of them expected.

Raina forced herself out of bed and struggled her way to Julian's clinic. Fortunately for her, he was still there. "Julian, I don't feel so good."

He caught her as she stumbled towards him. "Raina, you look dreadful." He helped her to the bed and set the medicomp to scan her. She looked deathly pale and her skin was clammy. The results of the scan stopped Julian dead. "Well, I know the cause of your symptoms."

"What?" She groaned, slinging her arm over to shield her eyes from the brightness of the infirmary.

"You're pregnant, Raina."

"I'm gonna be sick." Julian just managed to get a bowl in front of her before she vomited all over herself. She laid back down, huffing out a breath. "How many weeks?"

"7 weeks. I'm not well versed in hybrid pregnancies, at least not Human/Cardassian pregnancies." Julian frowned. "You don't seem best pleased."

"I don't know how to feel, Julian." She admitted. "I really want a baby, but I'm scared. What if he doesn't want it? What if I miscarry again?"

"I will monitor your pregnancy weekly." He promised her as he pressed a hypo into her neck. "This should ease the symptoms in the meantime."

"How will I explain this to Starfleet Command? I'm pregnant with a half Cardassian."

"We can worry about that when we need to. Our priority to ensure you have a healthy pregnancy."

"Can I see it?" She asked, flutter of hope in her chest. When Julian brought up the moving image on screen, tears welled in her eyes. "It's so little."

"Go get some rest. No exertion or stress."

"Thanks, Julian." She kissed his cheek before leaving to go back to her cabin. It was strange but she didn't feel pregnant. But she was in a coma for most of her previous pregnancy, so it was all new territory for her. She had no idea how she was going to tell Dukat or how they'd even make it work between them.

Raina was stuck in OPS when Dukat arrived and she was looking forward to seeing him. She was exhausted when she made it back to her cabin and expected him to be waiting as he normally did. Only this time, he wasn't there. She fired off a quick message to him, asking where he was. Several messages and hours later when she still had no idea what had happened, she went to the only person she could ask. She stood in Garak's store, waiting until he was finished with a customer. Once they were alone, she pounced. "Garak, where's Dukat?"

Garak wasn't sure how to respond to the look on her face. It was a mixture of annoyance, worry and urgency. "I believe he and Major Kira took a runabout in search of a lead."

"Lead to what?"

"I'm afraid that I was privy to that information."

Raina picked up a tool and threw against the wall in a rage. "Well, I guess he's back to fucking Bajorans."

When she stormed out of the store, Garak sent Dukat a message to give him some not so gentle advice. While he hated to Dukat and believed he wasn't good enough for Raina, he didn't want her to get hurt.

* * *

Kira didn't exactly enjoy the prospect of spending alone time with Dukat, but she would endure for a good reason. She could easily pretend he wasn't there, if it wasn't for the constant pinging of his communicator. "What is that?" She asked.

"Nothing important." He said, quickly. He didn't read the messages, but he knew it was Raina trying to get hold him. He needed to find out what happened to Naprem and Ziyal before he could truly move on with Raina. He'd fooled himself into believing that she would understand why he was ignoring her.

"So, how long has it been?"

"How long has what been?"

"Since you tricked Raina into thinking you were a decent man."

"You know nothing about me and Raina." He bit, keeping his feelings under control.

"I'm guessing that its her that has been trying to contact you." She turned to him; her eyes narrowed with contempt. "Interestingly, you just referred to her as "nothing important." Does she know you don't find her important?"

"I don't need to prove anything to you, Major." He turned away from her, keeping his focus on the space around them. "Why do you care so much?"

"I, like many others, care a great deal about Raina." Kira lost the ability to keep her disgust under control. "You know Raina nominated me to write evaluations for Starfleet on her mental health. I've had to listen to Raina open every wound she has, and she has absolutely no value in herself."

"Is there a point to all this?" He sighed.

"Hurt her, Dukat and you'll regret it." Kira warned him.

"Is that a threat, Major?" He asked, most bemused.

"No. Just unfriendly advice."

Once on Dozaria, Dukat and Kira found the remains of the ship they were looking for. A collection of graves was near the crash site. Dukat sent Kira into the ship, while he checked the graves. It was there that he found the remains of a young child. He found a piece of jewellery that he had gifted his daughter the last time he saw her. So many emotions barrelled through him, anger, guilt, sadness. He wanted to believe he was doing the right thing by her and her mother by sending them away, but it cost his daughter her life. He would have to live with that.

"Who was she?" Kira asked, as she stood over the grave.

"She was my daughter." He admitted as he stood up, clutching the jewellery in his hand. "Her name was Ziyal."

"I'm sorry." Kira genuinely meant that. While she didn't know what it meant to lose a child, she knew what it meant to lose a loved one.

"We should keep going." He turned stoic as usual. "We'll need to find shelter before it gets dark."

They found shelter in a cave and had brief reprieve the seriousness when Dukat sat on something. The look on his face was priceless and something Kira was unlikely to forget. Then she thought back to his daughter. "Who was the mother?"

"Her name was Tora Naprem. She was my mistress during the Occupation." He swallowed the guilt he was feeling.

"How did they end up here?"

Dukat sighed, thinking of what led him to send them away. "I knew the Occupation was coming to an end. They couldn't live on Bajor or Cardassia, so I sent them to Lissepia."

"What is it that you wanted out of coming here?" Kira asked, taking a bite of food.

"I want to close this chapter so I can move on." It was a half-truth, but he wanted to ease his guilt. It was unpleasant to live with and he didn't want to keep carrying it.

"With Raina?"

"My children adore her." He half-laughed. "Sometimes I think they love her more than me."

"Well, she is an amazing woman."

"That she is." Dukat agreed.

"So tell me something." She leant forward, resting an arm on her bent knee. "Why are you ignoring her?" She chuckled when she saw the fear in his eyes. "You've done something, and you don't want to have to deal with Raina's anger."

"It was the 2 year anniversary of our relationship starting. We were going to celebrate."

Kira's shot up in surprise. "Yet you're here and you're avoiding her. She must disappointed, hurt."

"I didn't want her to know beforehand." He admitted.

"Because you want her to be angry at something you did do, rather than what she thinks you'll do?"

"Raina can be very unforgiving."

"So don't give her reasons to be."

The pair managed to find survivors in a Breen mining camp, one which happened to be Tora Naprem. Dukat was pleased to see her alive, after all he did her love her once. Still cared about what happened to her.

"Skrain!" She rushed to him, wrapping her arms around him. "I knew you'd come for me."

"I'm sorry about Ziyal." He put his arms around her but remained stiff and slightly distant.

"She didn't suffer, at least we have much."

"Dukat, we should go." Kira urged.

Kira sat piloting the runabout back to DS9 getting all the more irritated at Naprem and her fawning all over Dukat. Even worse when it seemed like he enjoyed it. Raina was going to end up hurt in the middle of this. "So Dukat, are you planning to contact, Raina now." She smirked when she caught sight of him looking like a naughty child.

"Who is, Raina?" Naprem asked.

"Tell her, Dukat."

"Raina is someone." He uttered.

Kira laughed. "How has Raina put up with you for 2 years."

"She's your mistress?"

"No." Dukat swallowed hard. "She's my partner."

"But you're gonna leave her right?"

Dukat never thought he'd find himself in this position. He was used to women throwing themselves at him, but he'd never had women fight over him. He didn't want to hurt Naprem, but Raina was his love and the woman he worshipped. "No. I'm sorry, Naprem. I love, Raina."

Nobody else spoke for the rest of the trip back to the station. Kira had no desire to get in the middle of the ex-lovers. Dukat went until full denial mode. Naprem was angry that she had been replaced. When they docked at the station, Naprem followed Dukat to the Promenade deck. "Are you just going to ignore me?" She asked, desperately.

Dukat stopped to look at her. "Naprem, I'm glad you're alive, but things have moved on." The end of his sentence trailed off when he caught sight of Raina walking towards them. She stopped dead and the look on her face killed him.

Naprem turned to see her rival. "Is that her? She's Starfleet."

Raina turned around and started to walk away at a pace, with Dukat chasing after her. They ended up in Garak's shop with Naprem joining them shortly after. "Raina, stop. Let me explain." Dukat pleaded, hoping Naprem would leave.

"Is this what you've been doing. Shopping for your new Bajoran whore? Kira turn you down did she?" Raina spat angry at him. She flexed her hands repeatedly for fear she might throw something at him.

"It's not like that." He could tell how angry she was by the way she balled up her fists. "This is Tora Naprem. I told you about her."

"Oh, well. I guess you don't need me anymore."

"No, he doesn't." Naprem shouted. "We had a life together before you came along."

Raina felt the room spin and the overwhelming need to vomit hit her like a train. Pain had spread in her lower stomach, but she willed it away. "Why don't you both jump out an airlock."

Dukat reached out to her, clutching her arm. "Raina, please." He pleaded.

"You should have told me." She said through gritted teeth. "Now get out of my way."

Dukat stood to one side to let Raina through. She stopped just short of the door, turning to Naprem. "Just so you know. I met his kids, his family. I've been in his home. You were just his mistress. Remember that when you try to laud it over me."

"I had his child." Naprem gloated.

"Well, you won't be the only one." Raina threw back. Suddenly, Raina doubled over in pain and she stumbled out towards the infirmary. Dukat was behind her, trying to help her but she kept resisting his attempts. "Get away from me!" She rushed into the clinic, calling for Julian who rushed to her side. "Something's wrong." She cried.

Julian looked to a panicked Dukat. "Well, help me get her on the bed." He did just that, picking her up and placing her on the bed while Julian set up the scanner.

"I'm sorry, Raina."


	18. Chapter 18

Julian's face dropped at the scan results. "I'm sorry, Raina. There's no heartbeat."

Raina didn't even have a reaction to the news. She was numb, just numb. She didn't speak or even move, just laid on the bed staring up the lights. Even as Dukat held her hand, she couldn't feel his touch and his touch used to leave her skin tingling, but she felt nothing.

Julian picked up one of his tools out of its usual place and laid it next to a hypo spray. "Raina. I need to extract the bio-material, or we can let it pass naturally. It's your choice."

Raina quickly got up from the bed, pushing Dukat out of the way. She left the infirmary, moving through the promenade deck in auto pilot. She wasn't quite sure of where she was going, but she somehow ended up at Dukat's ship, in his quarters. She picked up a picture of her with Dukat in happier times. A burning hatred ripped through her as she looked at the fraudulent picture. She threw it against the window, watching as it shattered on the floor. The new kotra set she gifted him was next and she kept going until his quarters were in utter chaos. The bed sheets were ripped, pictures ripped off the wall and the contents of his desk were strewn about the floor. The only thing she didn't touch was the picture of the children.

She stumbled to her cabin and she stripped off her uniform, changing into her shorts and vest. Climbing into her bed, she laid under the bed covers, just waiting for body to expel what was left of her baby. She still hadn't managed to cry, in fact anger was the only emotion that she could summon up, yet even that had deserted her.

Dukat took to Quark's bar to drink himself into a stupor. He sat on the top level in solitude surrounded by bottles of Kanar, draining them one after another. He barely made it downstairs to the bar to get more. He just managed to make out the Doctor sitting with Dax, Kira and Garak. He didn't like any them. Not the Major, so high and mighty. Or the saccharine voiced Trill. Nor the doctor who seemed to have Raina's trust. Certainly not Garak, especially not Garak.

Actually, he hated the doctor more than Garak. Julian could actually make Raina happy and that infuriated Dukat. Julian was a handsome man, kind, respectful and decent. Everything that Dukat wanted to be but failed at every hurdle.

He stumbled over to their table, bottle in hand and swigging from it like a thirsty man. "Y.. , Doctor Bash…Bash…. I see how you look at my Raina." He slurred, drinking from the bottle again. "I'll fight to the death for her." He swayed in his feet. "I.. Legate Dukatttttt will win Raina back." He stumbled again, dropping his bottle of Kanar. "RAINA IS MINEEE." He shouted, pointing at men witnessing the events accusingly.

"Quark!" Kira yelled. "How many has he had?"

"Judging by the empties upstairs, he's drained 5 bottles." Quark replied.

"How is he even standing?" Kira watched as he turned his anger back on to Julian and she knew she had to step in. "Dukat come on, you need to sleep it off." She tapped his back, hoping to calm him.

"Oh, it's you." He spat. "I bet you're glad that my baby is dead, and Raina hates me."

"Come on, we'll escort you back to your ship." She put an arm on his shoulder and tried to guide him towards the exit.

He shrugged her off arm and fell towards the bar. "I need another bottle, Quark."

"You've had enough."

Dukat slammed his hands down on the bar. "I say when I've had enough." He snatched the bottle that Quark was holding and drunk it in quick succession. "Come on everyone. Tell me what a loser I am. I had the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, and I threw it away."

Julian took pity on Dukat. He was drinking his pain away, thinking he had lost Raina. "Dukat, you need a clear head if you are going to work this out with Raina."

"I love her so much." He cried.

"I know you do, and she loves you." Julian patted his shoulder. "You don't need to do this."

"Our baby." He cried. When he saw Naprem, his anger returned. "I was her fault. I wish I left you in that mine!" He screamed. "I hate you. I hate all of you." He picked up a chair and threw it against the back wall behind the bar, narrowly missing Quark.

Sisko rushed into the bar to find Dukat smashing everything he could get his hands on, while people around tried to get near him but failed. He grabbed Dukat from behind and held him until others could get close enough to help. It took 7 people to restrain Dukat while he howled on the floor, sobbing and screaming for Raina. "We need to get him to the brig." Once he was safely confined is a cell, Sisko demanded answers. "Someone want to enlighten me?"

Jadzia spoke up first. "It appears that Dukat and Raina have been involved. She got pregnant and sadly has lost the baby. Dukat isn't taking it well."

"Where is, Raina?" He asked.

"She went back to her cabin. She doesn't want to see anyone, including him." Julian added.

"I'm going to check on her. Keep an eye on him." Sisko sighed as he watched Dukat sob on the floor off the cell. "I don't want to have explain to the Cardassians if he does something stupid."

He headed to Raina's cabin, rehearsing what to say to her. He pressed the buzzer and he was surprised when the door opened. His heart broke when he saw her sat on her sofa, huddled into a ball, just staring into space. "Raina?" He sat down next to her. "I'm so sorry, Raina."

"Am I a terrible person, Ben?" She asked him quietly, her voice so devoid of the laughter and kindness that made her so well liked.

"No. Why would you ask that?" He caressed her knee, putting his fingers on her chin to tilt her head up to look at him. Her eyes looked so empty. There was no warmth in them. No determined spark.

"What am I being punished for?" Her voice betrayed a tell-tale sign of the devastation she was feeling. "I was violently beaten at 13 by a boy when I refused to have sex with him. Lost my mum at 15. Raped to near death at 18. Lost my baby and the man who I thought loved me at 19. Between 20 and 24 I went off the rails and had sex with just about every man I ever met. Lost my brother at 24. Lost another baby at 27." A tear that she couldn't shed finally broke free. "Why am I getting punished?"

"You're not a bad person, Raina." It made him angry that someone so special had to endure so much pain. "Even after all that, you still get back up and come back even stronger."

"I thought he loved me, Ben."

As much as he hated Dukat, Sisko knew that he did love Raina. "He does. He has just drunk himself into a stupor because he thinks he lost you. You need to speak to him."

"I don't want to see him again." She tensed at the idea of seeing him.

"Raina, whether you forgive him or not, you need to talk to him. Do it for me?"

Raina nodded. She pulled on a jumper and put on some comfortable shoes for the trip down to the cells. Julian had given Dukat something that would counter act the effects of the booze temporarily, so he was lucid enough to talk. Sisko really believed that Dukat would have palpitations when he saw Raina. He looked at her as if he couldn't believe she was real. "Raina, we'll leave you be."

"No, I want you all to stay." Raina stopped them. "I don't want any misunderstanding over what we say to each other."

Dukat stood up when she stepped into the cell. "Raina…I." Everything he planned to say to her got lost in his head.

"Come on then. Make your excuses." She said as she sat down on the bed.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you and for ignoring you. You didn't deserve that."

"So, was any of it real? The last 2 years?" Raina swallowed hard as if she expected him to say no.

"You think I faked loving you for 2 years?" The implication that he did hurt.

"I want to know what you were thinking when you disappeared and left me to think of every worst case scenario."

"I wanted to find my daughter. I knew you'd understand." Dukat sat on the bed next to her, wanting to be close, but he knew she didn't want it.

"I would have. You should have told me; I could have helped."

"You know that you can't hate me anymore than I hate myself." His voice broke as he spoke. "Our baby."

"I don't hate you. I'm angry, hurt, devastated but I love you too much to hate you."

"What is it that you need from me?" He asked.

Raina sobbed as she turned away from him. "I need time, space to process everything. I'm not saying it's over unless it's what you want that. I need time to work on me. If we continue our relationship I need to work on my control and jealousy issues first."

"I'll wait for however long I have to."

Raina slipped off the bed and stood up. "The kids can message me any time, that wont change."

"I need to hold you, just once before I leave." Raina nodded as the pain in her face eased, like she needed his arms around her. He held her close, never wanting to let her go. But she needed time to look after herself and to keep her, he needed to let her go for a while.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not so sure how I feel about this chapter. 
> 
> Trying to convey some emotion on how the "break" impacted both Dukat and Raina. But I dont think it worked.

It had been 3 months since the miscarriage and Raina started to feel less angry over it. Moments of sadness hit her, mostly at night when she had time to think of that brief little life. She found out that it was a girl, which was some comfort. She named her, Zora after a character in a story that the children taught her. She got a small star tattooed next to the footprints of Ellie. She also got another star added for Ziyal so the sisters could be together. She had never met Ziyal, but she shared a part of Zora.

She hadn't seen Dukat in that time either. He stayed away to give her the space she wanted, but his absence in her life genuinely hurt. She only lasted two weeks when she had to stop herself from begging him to visit. She loved him desperately, but she needed to work on herself before she could be happy, and she didn't want him to suffer because of her issues.

It was her 28th birthday and Jadzia had insisted on celebrating. Raina didn't want a fuss, so she invited them to her cabin for drinks. Kira, Jadzia, Julian and Garak had arrived together carrying gifts and bottles of drink. "All that for 5 people?"

"It's your birthday, Raina." Julian said while handing her a bottle. "We need to celebrate."

Raina sat and listened to them chat, but she remained quiet for most of it. She zoned out thinking of Dukat, wondering if he remembered her birthday. "Is he thinking of me?" She said out loud.

Kira gave her a sad smile. "You miss him, don't you?"

She nodded, the tears threatening to fall. "Do you think he remembered it was my birthday?"

Garak picked up a box that he'd brought him and placed it on the coffee table in front of Raina. "He did remember."

Raina felt a single tear fall down her cheek as she opened the box to find several small presents and a velvety box underneath. When she opened the velvety box, her tears streamed down her cheeks as it revealed a beautiful Jevonite necklace with a diamond on the pendant. "For a man, he always did have fantastic taste." She laughed through the tears.

"What else is there?" Jadzia asked.

Raina looked through the box, finding smaller presents, like pictures, trinkets and other little things. At the bottom of the box was a letter, obviously written by a child. "It's from Talyn."

"What does it say?" Kira noted the tears welling again in her eyes as she read the letter.

_Dearest Mother,_

_Happy Birthday from me, Mekor and Jacen. We are sad that we couldn't visit you, but father said we could put together a box of presents._

_Mekor finally told him that he wanted to join Starfleet. Father told him that some of the people he respected most were in Starfleet and he would be proud to count his own son amongst them._

_Father told us about Ziyal and the baby, but please don't be mad at him. He's very sad. He cries at night when he thinks we can't hear him._

_Grandmother says she is visiting the station for business so we might be able to go with her. I hope that's ok._

_We miss you,_

_Love, Birdie, Sunshine and Chuckles._

Raina accepted a cuddle from Jadzia as she sobbed into the letter. "I miss them so much."

"I didn't know they called you Mother." Jadzia soothed as she hugged her friend.

"They started calling me that about 18 months ago." She composed herself and tucked the letter back in the box. "They are my kids."

Garak and Julian left to take of something for Sisko and the three women settled in and chatted, hoping to cheer Raina up. After a couple of drinks, a happier and carefree Raina emerged.

"So, what does Dukat have, that many other handsome men that have begged for your attention, don't have?" Kira said, a little bit tipsy as Jadzia laughed.

"Honestly?"

"Yeah." Kira grinned.

"Stamina." All three women burst out laughing. "Seriously, at the beginning it was just a sexual attraction."

"So who mentioned love, first?" Jadzia asked.

"He did." Raina smiled at the memory of their rendezvous on the bridge of his ship. "He's very loving and affectionate. He's everything that all my previous lovers weren't."

"Come then…" Kira teased. "What do you know about him that no one else does?"

Raina sipped her drink, thinking of her answer with a smile. "He likes to cuddle. He's all about the physical contact."

"That's quite sweet." Jadzia laughed, giving Kira a knowing look. "What other little secrets does he have?"

"He can sing." Both women erupted into hysterical laughter. "I'm not joking. He's got a lovely singing voice. He sung Cardassian Opera to me. He got a whole lot of lovin' after that."

"Despite my feelings about him, Raina he genuinely does love you." Kira offered her friend a sympathetic smile. "I know you want space, but don't shut him out completely."

"Do you think I should call him?" Both women nodded in response. "You're right, I should never have pushed him away so much."

"We'll leave you to it."

When both women left, Raina sat at her desk, preparing herself to call him. She knew it would be late evening so she hoped he would be in. She waited for the connection to be established and for someone to respond. A face appeared on screen, only it was a woman, not Dukat. "Oh, Hi. Is Skrain home?"

"No, he's at the gentleman's club getting over some woman." The young woman said with total disinterest. An older woman appeared behind the younger one, telling her to be quiet. "What is it grandmother?"

"I've warned you before about stirring up trouble, Zella." The woman moved Zella out of the way. "I'm sorry about my granddaughter. Her mouth works too fast sometimes. I am Iyza, Skrain's aunt."

"Pleasure to meet you." Raina forced herself to smile.

"Skrain isn't here, but I'll tell him you called."

"No, uh, just forget I called." Raina hung up and climbed into bed. The tears flowed and she cried herself to sleep. Had he already forgotten about her?

* * *

Dukat sat in the gentleman's club surrounded by beautiful women draping themselves over him. His friends and colleagues decided that he needed to rediscover the delights of Cardassian women. The only problem was that women, Cardassian or otherwise, no longer did it for him. There was only one woman he wanted, and she had shut him out for 3 months.

Raina was his love, his inspiration, his everything. He felt like he was suffocating without her, but it was a situation of his own making. If only he trusted her. He may not have been able to prevent her miscarriage, but he would have been there to share their brief joy. He knew more than anyone how much Raina wanted to create a family and have children, all things he was more than prepared to do with her.

He dismissed the women around him, not interested by their presence, more annoyed. The only saving grace was that Akellen had given up on lecturing him. Although it was from a place of caring, Dukat was still irritated by hearing how he had the perfect woman and he squandered it. He knew what he lost and was living with it, minute by minute. Even Gul-Tar Keve had given him grief over it and demanding to know why Dukat hadn't begged on his hands and knees for forgiveness. He would do that if he knew it would work, but Raina needed time, not to be begged.

He spotted Akellen marching towards him, no doubt ready for another lecture. "Akellen, it's been 2 hours since your last lecture."

"She called." Akellen said, quickly.

"What?!" Dukat stood up, his body tense and surprised. "My Raina called me?"

"Yes and dippy Zella told her that you were out trying to get over her."

Dukat growled as he stormed out of the club, making his way home with his cousin following. He stormed into his house, immediately cornering Zella. "What did you tell, Raina?"

Zella froze in fear at the near murderous look on his face. "I told her where you were. I never lied to her."

"Why would you tell her that and you knew I was only there because I was forced to go."

"That's the reason why you lost her." Zella braved telling him the truth. "You lost her because you don't think of the consequences to your actions even when they are actions you don't want."

Dukat moved away, standing next to a bottle of Kanar, willing himself to leave it alone. "Don't lecture me."

"If you want this Human back, then you need to start seeing things from her perspective. You treated her badly and still you don't get it. That's why I told her truth, Skrain." Zella knew her cousin too well and he never could see past his own pain. "I thought if she did what you did, then you would know what it felt like to be her."

"I know what I've done." He said, sadly.

"Listen." His Aunt put her arm around his shoulder, pulling him to her in a motherly hug. "She called you, which means that she is ready to communicate. So, maybe put down in words what she means to you."

Dukat nodded. "I'm going to bed."

In the early hours, Dukat was trying to form the words together to accurately describe what she meant to him. In the end, he opted to say it a way that she would appreciate.

_Dear Raina,_

_I'm a fucking idiot._

_But I'm your fucking idiot._

_Always!_

_I love you,_

_Skrain._

_P.S There is no getting over you._

He sent the message, knowing she'd get it when she woke in the morning. He imagined the little laugh that would escape but he didn't think she would reply. At least, not so quickly.

When he woke in the morning, a message was waiting and his heart stopped, hoping and praying it was Raina.

_Dear Skrain,_

_Such vulgar language!_

_I love you,_

_Raina. _

_P.S Likewise…._

Both of them knew that the love was still burning as intensely as it always did and deep down, the trust was there. The problem is, they didn't trust themselves and until they could, they'd never be happy together.

* * *

"Mother!" Talyn shouted as she spotted Raina waiting outside the docking bay. She and her brothers ran to her, pulling her into a crushing hug. "We missed you."

"I missed you too." Raina was so happy to see the kids again. It had been 5 months since saw them last and they were changing before her eyes. Mekor was turning into a young man and his height rivalled his father's. Jacen was not far behind but still had his baby faced features. Talyn was still young but getting more like a young lady every time. "Where's your Grandmother?"

"Greetings, Raina." Dukat's mother nodded politely.

"Hello, Yva. You're looking well."

"Thank you." She smiled briefly. "Why don't you kids run along and put your things away."

"My cabin is all ready and I've got some time in the Holosuites for you." Raina smiled as the kids ran off in such of fun. "I sense you want to talk."

"I do." Yva linked arms with Raina and led her through the Promenade deck to a restaurant. "Dine with me and we can talk." Once they had their food, then sat down. "I need to talk about my son."

"Why, I thought you'd be delighted that we've parted for a while."

"I can tell you, I'm not." Yva grimaced at her tone. She didn't want to seem displeased with Raina, because she wasn't, just the situation. "You are the only woman my son has picked that I approve of."

Raina felt like someone had hit her in the face. "Why?"

"Because you put my son in his place." Yva smiled at the memory of her own husband. "Procal, my husband was a wonderful man in many ways, but when he had an idea in his head, he couldn't be stopped, until I threatened him with divorce. Skrain is just like his father and he needs a good woman to keep him in check at times. Added to the fact that you have all but adopted those children as your own and that you care about Cardassia as many others don't."

"I love him, but sometimes he does things that make me want to kill him."

Yva laughed as she clutched Raina's hand. "Another way in which he is like his father. Forgive my idiot son, but only when you are ready."

Raina was about to make a joke when she spotted Naprem walking past. She hated that bloody woman with a passion and the only reason why she hadn't shoved her out of the nearest airlock was due to the fact that she was the mother of one of Dukat's children. She had claimed for months to anyone who'd listen, that she would win Dukat back and they would marry and start a new family. "Bitch." Raina mumbled under her breath.

"Is that her, this Naprem?" Yva spat.

"That's her. She has been lauding her relationship and ability to have his children over me." She clenched her fist so tight that her nails dug into her palm. "Somehow she found out about my other daughter and she's been joyfully spitting it back at me since."

"Why don't you go and find the children?"

"I'll take the children bowling, so meet you there."

Yva found Naprem working in a shop and fortunately, she was alone. Threatening someone was much better when they were isolated from people who could help. "Naprem?"

"Yes." She smiled. "How can I help?"

"You can help by staying away from my son." She said, coldly.

"Excuse me?"

Yva stalked around Naprem slowly, as she were sizing up her prey. "I've heard rumours that you think my son will marry you."

"He will. Once that Human has gone."

"No he won't." The older woman insisted. "You may think that Skrain loves you, but he doesn't."

"I suppose he loves that Human." Naprem was getting uncomfortable by the glares that his mother threw at her.

"Because of that Human, my son and I have forged a better relationship. His children are happy to have a mother that loves them, and the family approve of her. He's made a wonderful choice." Yva stopped in front of the Bajoran, fixed her in place with an icy glare. "Let me be clear, Bajoran. I will let nothing get in the way of my son's happiness. Nor will I let you torture Raina for being the one he wants. Is that clear?"

Naprem could only nod. She had to admit defeat. "Perfectly."

"Good." Yva gracefully left the shop with her head held high to find her grandchildren, knowing that she had eliminated one problem. Now it was time for her to bond with the woman who may carry more of her grandchildren one day.


	20. Chapter 20

There were tears when Raina had to say goodbye to the kids and Yva. She didn't know when she would get to see them again as in less than month, she was being temporarily reassigned. It meant that she would get a chance at her own command and a promotion to Commander. Despite her personal issues, her career had really taken off in a big way. She had done work with the Bajorans that led to some interesting opportunities for both Bajor and the Federation.

Starfleet decided to utilize her natural charm and peacekeeping abilities to build rapport with non-Federation species. They acknowledged that other races seemed to react more positively to her than they would anyone else. Even Klingons knew to behave around her and the Cardassians would only deal with her.

After saying her goodbyes, she headed to Ops for a meeting with Sisko. She knew he wanted to talk about her relationship with Dukat. Although, it had been months since their separation, she hadn't discuss it with him and she thought it best to do it before she left for 6 months.

She walked into Sisko's office, giving him a brief smile. "Morning, Ben." She greeted as she sat down.

"Morning, Raina."

"I know you are desperate to lecture me about Dukat, so get on with it."

Sisko sighed. "I thought that you had settled here and your issue with Cardassians had been resolved."

"It has been." Raina insisted. "I didn't get involved with him because he is a Cardassian. It happened because he is Dukat and I fell in love with him."

"So he never took advantage?"

"No. He did nothing that I didn't invite." She noticed Sisko body language relax when she said no. "He was very respectful and loving towards me."

"Does he know about the reassignment?"

Raina frowned and shook her head. "If I tell him, he'll really believe that we are over."

"Isn't that what you want?"

"No." She protested. "The last 2 years with him were amazing, but I spent all that time wondering when it was going to go wrong. I can't keep living like that and I can't put my issues on him."

"You need to discover your self-worth?"

"I do and until I do, I will keep sabotaging a good thing."

"Well, I've told Command that they aren't having you for longer than 6 months."

"That's good. I need to be here if my plan to take over the station is going to work." She teased.

Sisko chuckled. "Go and enjoy the rest of your time here."

Dukat sat in his chair on the bridge, getting all the more anxious as they approached DS9. He didn't even have a plan to dock, he just needed Raina urgently. As the ship neared the station, he barked orders at his officers. "Helm open a channel to the station. Tell them it's an emergency."

"Aye, sir.

"This is Gul Dukat. I need to speak to Lieutenant Commander Cavendish urgently." He barked into the comm. His heart stopped when Raina appeared on the screen, looking different from the last time her saw her. How was it possible for such a beautiful woman to get even more beautiful? Her hair was a deep rich red colour and she wore striking red lipstick to match.

Raina could feel Dukat's panic before she even saw his face. Then she found out why. "Skrain, where's our children?"

"The transport ship never made it back to Cardassia. The warp trail leads to the Badlands."

Raina turned to Sisko. "I need the runabout." As soon as he nodded his permission, she stepped into the life. "Skrain. I'll beam you abroad as soon as I've undocked."

In barely more than half an hour, Dukat was beamed abroad the Rio Grande and Raina had piloted the shuttle towards the Badlands. They sat in silence for the first hour, neither knowing just what to say to each other. "So, how have you been?" Raina finally asked.

"Fine." He replied dismissively.

Raina felt irrationally irked by his response. Well, if he wanted to act so cold, then she could too. "Just so you know, I'm being reassigned for 6 months to the Beta Quadrant."

"Good."

With that icy acknowledgement she turned to face him, so mad that her fist balled up in a rage. "Is that it? Two words is all you have to say to me."

"What else would you rather me say?" He fired back.

"I don't know. How about something that actually shows me that you did actually love me."

"You have no idea what it's been like for me over these past few months."

"I have no idea…."She said incredulously. "In case you forgot, I had a miscarriage of a baby I wanted. I've spent months listening that bitch, Naprem throwing my inability to carry children, your children in my face. How you'll come to your senses and marry her." Raina slammed her fist down on the console. "And you wanna know what the kicker is? People look at me as if I was in the wrong. Like I stole you from her."

"It was my baby too." He roared.

Raina got up quickly and moved to the back of the cockpit. "You should try being my place, Skrain. Two babies I've lost. Twice my crappy womb couldn't do the basic thing of growing a baby properly." Tears streamed down her face, but she was still angry. "And the baby was girl. Don't you ever call Zora "it" again." She screamed.

They sat in silence until they reached the Badlands. "This is where we lost the warp trail." Dukat told her, not even daring to look at her.

A familiar voice echoed around in Raina's head, telling her that is was an attempt at misdirection. Then she picked something up on the scanner. "There's something on sensors. It's a probe."

"Can you download the files?"

"Give me a sec." Raina broke into the probe and suddenly a face that she hadn't seen in year, appeared on the screen.

"Hello Raina." Jason Cohen grinned malevolently.

"Who is this?" Dukat asked.

"That is Jason." She sneered at her ex fiancé's image. "The biggest mistake I've ever made."

"It's been a long time, Raina." He laughed. "Since Starfleet are unwilling to deal with you, I've decided that I'll do it. I tried to with that lovely infection that released on Cardassia. Only you had to go ahead and find a cure."

Raina clutched Dukat's hand and she could feel his anger as he shook with rage. He clutched it back, moving closer to her.

"I watched you and that latest Cardassian. It was disgusting to see you in the enemies arms, so as punishment, I've taken what you hold dear so much. If you want them back, you'll play my little adventure game. Follow the clues and find me. But when you do, I want a full statement where you confess to all of your lies. Do this and I'll let them go. Whether I let you go, is another matter."

Raina pressed her head into her hands, trying to rub the tiredness out of them. "If he harms them in anyway, I'll torture him until he begs me for death." She promised Dukat.

"We aren't too far from the nearest colony. I think we should get supplies and maybe some sleep."

"Good idea. It'll give me time to work out where we need to go."

Dukat laid in one of the bunks on the shuttle, pretending to be asleep while he discreetly watched Raina over at the opposite bunk. They had stopped at a Cardassian colony on the edge of Cardassian space so they could stock up for a long trip and get some rest.

"You aren't asleep, sexy man." Raina smiled. "Am I that fascinating?"

"I'm trying to work out how such a beautiful creature, got even more beautiful." His voice was low and dripping with charm.

Raina laughed as she jumped down from her bunk. "It always makes me wonder why they made these bunks big enough for two." She climbed into his bunk, crawling over his body before pressing herself against him. She lifted the blanket he used to cover himself, peeking underneath. She tutted as she slipped her hand underneath the blanket and raked her nails over his skin. "Imagine the nerve of laying naked next to a Starfleet officer."

"Imagine that Starfleet officer wearing the thinnest vest possible while pressing herself against a high ranking Cardassian officer."

"Well, if it offends so much….." Raina expertly stripped off her vest with one hand and chucked it on the other bunk. "And in the interest of fairness." She stripped off her shorts and quickly discarded them. "Happier now?"

"Not quite." He moved quickly so she was pinned underneath his weight.

"What is it that you need?" She rolled her hips, grinning as he growled.

"I want to fuck you until you scream my name in ecstasy."

Normally, Raina would have retorted, instead she pulled him to her for a bruising kiss. It had been 5 months since they had been so close but the desire for each other was still as strong as it always was. They kissed like they had been starved and the only sustenance was each other as their tongues moved together with perfect synchronicity. Raina pulled away gasping for air, but still kept him close. "Before we go any further, I warn you now I'm not on any birth control."

Dukat silenced her with a kiss before he entered her slowly, just revelling in the pleasure. "I've missed you." He groaned into her hair as he moved frustratingly slowly.

"I've missed you, too." She clung to him as moved, rolling her hips to meet his thrusts. Her fingers wove into his hair, tugging at it gently. "I masturbated so many times thinking about you. How you used to bend me over your desk, fucking me even when you spoke your crew."

He gripped on to her thigh, probably hard enough to leave a mark, pushing her leg upwards to rest her leg on his shoulder. He propped himself up on a hand near her head, to avoid hurting her in the new position. His thrusts increased and her hips rose to meet his. "You are divine." He groaned.

She craned her neck to kiss him, completely oblivious to her surroundings. All she could focus on was the man above her, driving her closer and closer to first proper orgasm in months. "More…." She pleaded.

He pounded into her forcefully, peppering her leg with kisses as moved. He slipped his hand down between them to massage her clitoris. It was just what was needed to make her shatter beneath him. He hissed with pleasure as her nails dug into his skin as she neared her orgasm. "Scream my name." He demanded.

She gasped loudly, throwing her head back. "Skrain…" She roared into the air as waves of intense pleasure crashed around her.

Moments later he joined her as his body went ridged, spilling his seed into her, groaning her name as if it were the most erotic thing in the galaxy. He collapsed on top of her, burying his face in her hair. Together they lay panting and unable to move. "Don't forget me." He pleaded.

Raina pushed him up so she could look at him, cradling his face in her hands. "I'm yours. As your friend, lover, partner and your wife one day. You are etched into my very being and I guarantee, I'll be your wife by the time I'm 30."

"That's only in 2 years."

"Am I worth waiting 2 years?"

He gave her a tender kiss on his lips, letting his lips linger on hers. She had dreams she wanted to follow before she settled down and he refused to the one who stifled her brilliance. She would come back to him one day and he would be waiting. "2 years will give me enough time to build the home you want."

"Once I move in, you won't get rid of me." She teased.

"I love you." He whispered as he kissed her nose.

"I love you, too."


	21. Chapter 21

Jason watched on the monitors as the older Cardassian woman tried to console the frightened children. He had told them that Raina was willing to let them die to save herself, but they refused to believe it. He knew she would come for them. She always wanted to play the hero. The martyr that everybody loved. But he knew her in ways that others didn't.

She wielded her body and beauty like a weapon. She knew who had what and how they could help her career. She slept her way through the ranks of Starfleet, even when they were together. He couldn't blame the men though. She was like a sniper, once she had you in her sights, you went down.

Even so, he was willing to give her another chance. Once she left Starfleet, they could settle down, maybe go back to Earth and just live out their days with each other. But she would have to work to gain his trust back. She had hurt him badly with her deceit.

He almost bounced out of his chair with delight when he sensed a Federation shuttle on sensors. She had done exactly what he predicted. He went to the room where he held Yva and the children, laughing with glee. "So it seems your new mother has arrived. No doubt with your father in tow. Pity you'll have to watch him die." He grinned when Talyn let out a fearful cry.

Jason returned to the monitors, watching as Raina and the Cardassian beamed in. The Cardassian made a protective gesture towards her to which she nodded. "So glad you could join us, Raina."

"Show yourself, you coward."

"Now, now." He tutted. "Why don't you join the others and I for some group therapy."

Raina stiffened as she confronted the ghost that followed her from Earth and went everywhere she went. He was determined to ruin her life over some imagined slight that she committed, and she was sick of him ruining everything that she did. "Hello, Jason. You're looking more haggard than I remembered."

"Well, keeping up with you does that to a man."

"So, shall I do this confession now?" She asked coldly.

Jason snarled at her, furious that she wouldn't play his little game. "Not so fast."

"What do you want, Jason?" She perched on a desk as she sent a reassuring smile to the kids. "You kidnap my children and lead me here. For what? So you can justify your attempts to ruin my career?"

Jason gave Dukat the once over with a disgusted glare. "So, this is the new one then?"

"Yes and you could never be even half the man he is."

Dukat listened to the two spit acid at each other. When his communicator vibrated, he knew he could put his plan into action. He just needed Jason out of the way first. He had no intention of letting Jason leave the station alive. He had hurt Raina, his Raina in so many ways that death would be the only thing to set Raina free. "You won't leave this station alive." He warned.

"Another caught under her spell." Jason tutted.

"What is your problem, Jason?" Raina asked. "You think I'm some witch who snares men with her looks?"

"Be nice, Raina. We wouldn't want the little girl to get hurt." He pointed his gun at Dukat. "Get in the cell."

Raina watched as Dukat entered the cell. She could sense he had a plan and for the first time, she could communicate with him telepathically. He told her to draw Jason away from the cells. "Ok, Jason, you want to play?" She ran out of the room and down a dark corridor, knowing Jason would follow.

Dukat waited for Jason to leave the cells before he tapped his communicator. Macet and three others beamed in, fully armed and ready for a fight. "Took your time, Akellen."

"I'll try to be quicker next time, Skrain."

"Mother, take the children and go with this Glinn, he'll take you back to Akellen's ship."

Yva nodded. "What about, Raina?"

"I'll get Raina." He reassured her.

Dukat took a rifle from Macet and set it to kill. "Remember boys, this one is mine."

"Where is the nutcase?"

"We can track Raina's combadge." Dukat used one the terminals to track Raina on the station. "She's in the mess hall. Let's go."

He led the team through the station and scream echoed from the end of a corridor. Dukat instantly knew it was Raina and she was in trouble. He ran down the corridor towards the mess and Raina's screaming got louder. "Get off me, Jason." She yelled.

"Stop struggling." He tried to tie her up and he straddled her back.

Raina struggled to breath with his weight on top of her, but the weight shifted suddenly as Jason yelled out in pain. She leant up slightly to see him writhing on the floor in agony and blood spilling out from his shoulder. She looked right ahead of her to see Dukat stalking towards Jason with his rifle. "Ahh, sweetheart. I think you missed."

"I missed on purpose." He lowered his rifle to help her up. "What are we going to with him?"

"Well…..he confessed to the attempted murder of 3 dozen Cardassians and kidnapped 4, so Cardassian Command can kill him for all I care."

"Can I brutalize him a bit first?" Dukat asked her, already knowing what the answer would be. When she nodded, he invited the others to beat him up.

"Ok, he's had enough." Raina put a stop to the beat down. "Take him back to Cardassia before I shove him out of an airlock."

"I'll take him on my ship." Macet said as he picked Jason up. "I'll make sure he doesn't escape."

Both Raina and Dukat got back to the shuttle, heading back to DS9. Something had been bothering Dukat and he wanted some answers. "How long have you been a telepath?"

Raina sighed. "Since I was little." She answered. "Mostly I can sense emotions and I can dig out parts of people's minds even they had forgotten about."

"But you knew what my plan was."

"You're the only one I've ever formed a full telepathic bond with."

"Have you ever searched my mind before?" He wasn't sure why that made him nervous. There were things that he'd rather forget, and he had buried them.

"No, I haven't. Mother said it was an intimate bond and shouldn't be forced upon someone."

"Explain it to me."

Raina chuckled as his curiosity. "It's like a Vulcan mind meld but it's more intimate than that. If we did it, it would take place somewhere meaningful to us. We would be naked and embraced together."

"So what is the point of it?"

"It's to spiritually bond us and create a deeper connection. It also helps to make sure you really want to marry the person you are embracing."

"We will do it when you return from your reassignment." He pulled her closer, kissing her tenderly. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too." She whispered. "I'm going to tell Starfleet Command about us."

"That could ruin you. I can't let you do that." He hated the idea that he would be the reason her career ended.

"If I can get the Cardassians on side with the Federation, they'll need someone used to dealing with you thoroughly unreasonable people. They'd be foolish to get rid of me."

Dukat chuckled. "I'll give you Cardassia if you come home to me."

Raina gave him a long lingering kiss. "Together, we'll make Earth and Cardassia the power couple. A force to be reckoned with."

"There are people who will fight against us." He warned her.

"So then they fight and see what it means to cross us."

"You'll have the Alpha and Beta Quadrants swearing fealty to you." He laughed. She could rule the galaxy if she wanted to. She was a force, but she used her power for good.

They said their goodbyes to each other, both knowing what torture the next few months would be, but Raina would return to Cardassia permanently eventually.


	22. Chapter 22

Raina's first command was going quite successfully, much to her relief. The USS Venus was a small but powerful ship with a hand picked crew. It had taken them to relatively obscure worlds and there were many more to go.

She enjoyed meeting new people and forging those important ties. Yet, she missed Dukat and their children so much. She spoke to them as often as she could and teased the children about the all the mementos that she would bringing back from each world she visited.

She did have a minor issue by way of the first Officer who seemed to have developed an attachment to her. Fortunately, the persistent mentioning of Dukat whenever he made his move on her sent a very clear message. He moved on to another woman very soon after.

Three months in her assignment, she began to notice her body shape changing, particularly her stomach. But she chose to ignore it, just putting it down to weight gain as she navigated through her first command. But, as people started to notice her expanding waistline, she was left with little choice but to see the ships doctor, Dr Wrinn. "Good morning, Doc."

"Ahh, Commander." He began as he looked up from his desk. "I wondered when you would show up. On the bed."

"It's probably nothing." She said as she got on the bed. "Just weight gain."

He gave her a pointed look. "Well, you are gaining weight but not from overeating."

"So, a tumour then."

"Raina, you are pregnant." He told her plainly. "Sixteen weeks if you're curious."

"Doctor, I have lost my last two pregnancies. I was given a fifteen percent change to carry a child to term. This one wont end happily." She got up from the bed, walking towards the door. "I don't want anyone to know."

She carried on with her duties as normal, ignoring all the questioning looks from her crew as she got bigger and bigger. Even the delegates she hosted seemed to regard her stomach, fully aware of what in meant.

She had done a good job of ignoring her body, but after a long and exhausting day, a shower was needed. As she let the gentle sonic waves soothe her, the skin of her stomach protruded and retracted quickly, and her stomach fluttered excitedly with growing life. This time she couldn't ignore it for it wouldn't be ignored. She rubbed her hands over her skin, reward with feisty kicks to her palms. It was a sign to say that the life within was there to stay until it was time to greet the galaxy.

Moments later, she was in sick bay. "Dr Wrinn, I want to see it."

"On the bed then."

Raina waited nervously as the doctor started up the scanner. She gasped as the sound of two determined heartbeats echoed throughout the sickbay. "It is twins?" She asked as her eyes welled up.

"Twin girls, Commander." He brought up the image of the two babies. "Look."

Raina's eyes were glue to the vision of two healthy half Cardassian/Human girls, yawning simultaneously. "They are ok, right?"

"Growing as two twenty-two week foetuses should." He reassured her. "I'll monitor your pregnancy closely and you should take time purely for rest."

"Will you sent a message to the crew?" She asked. "I need to get my head around this and maybe apologise to my girls for ignoring them for so long."

"The crew will be delighted with the news."

Raina headed back to her cabin, all the more aware of her twins moving happily inside of her. She wanted to call Dukat, but she didn't want him to know in case it went wrong again. She saw his reaction to their previous loss, and she wanted to protect him from that.

There was one person she needed to tell. A confession to her father about her relationship with another Cardassian. She swallowed hard when he appeared on screen. "Hi, dad."

"Hi sweetheart. This is a surprise."

Raina sunk her head desperately trying to stop herself from crying. "Dad, we need to talk."

"Baby, what's wrong?" He asked gently as he saw her tears.

"I've been in a relationship for the past 2 and half years with someone you nor Starfleet Command would approve of."

"Who?" He asked, confused.

"A Cardassian, Gul Dukat." She closed her eyes and braced herself for the onslaught.

John's heart broke when he saw the tears slip down her face. While Starfleet Command wouldn't be too pleased, he trusted Raina to act dutifully for Starfleet while conducting her relationship. "Raina, you are more than capable enough to not need my approval."

"I didn't want to let you down."

"Rosie…." That was the first time he had used her nickname since his wife died. "When have you ever let me down? Does he make you happy?"

She nodded, wiping her tears away. "We've had a few ups and downs, but he treats me like a Queen."

"Then you leave Command to me."

"Dad, I'm pregnant." She blurted out. Her tears flowed again when she saw joy on her father's face. "Twenty-two weeks with twin girls."

"So, you'll be wanting to go back to Cardassia soon?"

"At least a month before the babies are due. I haven't told Skrain yet and I want to feel sure that this pregnancy will end happily before I do."

"I can't get you out now but perhaps I can get you back in six weeks."

"Thanks, dad. He was disappointed to know I would be later than we thought but he'll be happy to know I'll be returning soon." She stroked her bumped, elated at the thought that she could give birth in the home that he had built for her. "You'll have five more grandchildren soon."

"Five?" He laughed. "You've been busy."

"Dukat has three children, Mekor, Jacen and Talyn. They see me as their mother, and they are my babies."

"Well, I would love to meet these children and my future son in law."

"Mekor has plans to be the first Cardassian in Starfleet."

"Well, he's practically a Cavendish. His entry into Starfleet is pretty much guaranteed, especially once his old grandad has sponsored him."

"You'd do that for him?"

"If he's learned anything from you, he'll make a fine addition to Starfleet."

"Dad…" She started. "I want you know that you've been a wonderful father to me, and my children will adore you as much as I do."

"You've been a wonderful daughter." He smiled as a tear slipped down his cheek. "Tell your man that you'll be home in 6 weeks. I'll come for a visit before the babies are born so I can spend time with the older ones."

Raina hung up with her father, feeling so happy and hopeful. She knew her father would get her back to Cardassia so she could settle before the birth. She desperately wanted to tell Dukat that she was pregnant, but she knew he would worry until she was home, so she would surprise him with it.

Within minutes of her hanging up with her father, she was inundated with messages of congratulations. Her favourite was a message from her niece and nephew singing congratulations to her. It overwhelmed her knowing how excited and happy people were for her.

Six weeks later, Raina was on DS9 saying goodbye to her friends. They were stunned to see her heavily pregnant and glowing with happiness. They had showered her with gifts for the twins and made her promise to bring the babies for a visit.

As she was leaving, she caught sight of Naprem who had noticed her unmissable baby bump. Raina nodded politely to the woman. She had no ill will towards the woman anymore. Raina had everything she wanted, and it would make her a person she wasn't to gloat about it.

* * *

Dukat stood in the new home he had built overlooking the town of Urdassa, proud of his hard work. He may have gone slightly overboard with the house, but Raina deserved the best. It had more bedrooms than possibly needed and a separate guest house. Thanks to her brother, Andrew the house was built using photos of the Cavendish manor in which Raina spent many summers. She was choosing to live on Cardassia, but he knew she would miss home, so he decided to bring a little bit of Earth to Cardassia.

"Do you think she'll like it?" Talyn asked her father.

"I think she'll love it." He pulled his daughter into his outstretched arm.

Both Mekor and Jacen stepped into the house, having been working out in the garden. "The garden is finished." Mekor told him.

"When is mother due home?" Jacen asked.

"In two days." He replied. "She was waiting for some things to be delivered from Earth before she headed back. She's spending time with some friends on the station first. She said she didn't know when she'd get to see them again."

"Well, at least we have time to get everything perfect." Talyn said.

"Did you find our incubator, father?" Mekor refused to call Athra mother or even birth mother. Only one woman deserved to have the title of mother and that was Raina. For years, Mekor and his siblings felt rejected by Athra. She was always clever to make sure Dukat never knew the extent of her neglect. She would always imply to people that Dukat was the neglectful parent, but he was nothing of the sort. Once she had gone, their father really doubled his efforts to be a good parent.

From the moment they met Raina, they could feel her affection for them. She took the time to get to know them and showered them with love. It was Jacen that had called her mother first, but it was purely accidental. It was almost just a natural progression from using her name to calling her mother. The reaction from Raina and their father was as if they had been calling her mother all of their lives. She was their mother. Not adoptive mother, just mother. Mekor, once a shy child became more outspoken. Jacen felt more secure. Talyn forever her father's daughter, blossomed under Raina's influence.

"No, son. I can't think of where she would be."

"Will formally recognise Raina as our mother without her permission."

"Talyn, unfortunately we need Athra's permission. But don't worry, we'll find her."

"Father, do you think you and Raina will have more children?" Talyn was desperate to have younger siblings. She wanted to be an older sibling.

"Maybe, but Raina may need to help to carry them."

"I had a dream last night that I had two new baby sisters."

"Maybe one day, Talyn." He chuckled, opting not to tell her that he had a similar dream.

Raina stepped into the old house near headquarters under the cover of night. She knew that only Dukat was there as the children were staying at the new house with Yva. She crept into the bedroom and stripped off her clothes before climbing into bed. She wrapped her arm around his sleeping form, pressing her bump into his back. She would tell him in the morning about their girls, but for now, she just wanted to enjoy being back in his arms.


	23. Chapter 23

Dukat had pulled himself out of bed and headed to headquarters for another day of meetings. No one told him that ruling Cardassia meant he would be spend his days listening to people droning on and on about the most insignificant things. He had more important things to worry about, like dealing with the new Federation Ambassador, however it bloody was. Unfortunately, he had an email from Raina saying she didn't get the rule of the Ambassador and wouldn't be returning to Cardassia for at least another week. It was then he started to believe that she had moved on from him. She probably found a nicer, younger, handsome Human who was well liked by everyone and could understand why Raina picked him. He could hear all the negative comments from her friends about why she went for Dukat in the first place. He did his best to love her and a way that she deserved, but it wasn't good enough for them. They could even be open about their relationship due to the judgements that would be thrown at Raina.

Every night he dreamt that she lay next to him, but the previous night it felt very real. He could smell the floral scent of her hair, hear her breathing and the feel of skin on his. But it was just another dream.

When he got to Headquarters, his advisors greeted him. "Has the Ambassador arrived?"

His aides desperately tried to hide their smiles and shared looks between each other. "The Ambassador is in your office." One told him.

He walked to his office, expecting some know it all, middle aged man with an inflated sense of self-importance. Only, that wasn't what he got. There was a beautiful human woman sitting in his chair, giving him the most mischievous grin. "So, are you our new Ambassador?" He asked, smirking but still so hopeful.

"Yes, I am." She drawled out. "We will be working together _very_ closely."

"We'll have to have daily meetings."

"Oh yes. I might even be naked for some of those."

"Can I you kiss you or is it grievously unprofessional of me?"

"That'll will have to come last." She grinned. "We need to discuss an issue you left me with before I left to gallivant around the galaxy."

"Oh." He was intrigued by the smile on her face and it wasn't until she stood up that he understood why.

"It appears….." She started as she moved around the desk to stand before him. "…I took two little pieces of you with me when I left."

Dukat watched her, mesmerized as she took his hands and placed them on her swollen stomach. The life within moved excitedly as it were responding his touch. "Why didn't you tell me?" He asked as he bent down to kiss her stomach.

"I knew you'd be worried about us." She smiled, running her fingers through his hair. "I took me a long time to accept that this pregnancy was going well, and I couldn't put you through losing two more daughters in case it did go wrong." She admitted.

He understood her reason for keeping it quiet and she was right, he would worry himself sick about them. He had no more words to say and the overwhelming need to kiss her got too strong to ignore. In a second his lips were on hers, devouring her like a hungry man. His arms felt so light once he was able to hold her again, her body flush against his as they kissed away seven painful months of separation. Then the realisation hit him; she really was in bed with him last night. "You were home last night."

"I was, but I had to get to work." She smirked.

"You deceived me." He growled, but there was humour behind it.

"Such a naughty Ambassador." She teased. "Will you punish me later?"

"I could just bend you over the desk now?"

Raina laughed. "Sweetheart, my back wont cope with that."

He watched as she stretched her back, moving to take a seat. It was her first day on the job and already he planned to whisk her home and lavish her with all the adoration she deserved. But he was the top dog on Cardassia, so he could do what he wanted. "I've got something to show you. If we are to have more children, then we need more space."

Raina found herself blindfolded and in a shuttle. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

After a short flight, Dukat helped her from the shuttle and led her up gravel path before stopping her and removing the blindfold. She gasped at the sight before her. "Skrain….it's beautiful." She gave him a long, lingering kiss before she moved as quick as she could to the front door.

The inside was even better, and she could immediately imagine the children running around and causing chaos. A large entrance hall greeted her first. A door to the left hid a large kitchen and dining room big enough to entertain. A door to the right hid a sitting room, with a small, more cosy room led from that. There was a sunroom, a gym and a home office big enough for two.

Arms wrapped around her and caressed her stomach. "So what do you think?"

She wrapped her hands around his and leant backwards into him. "I'm home."

"Do you remember what you said when I asked what annoyed you most about being on ships/stations?"

Raina thought about it and then her answer hit the front of her mind. She turned in his arms and cradled his face in her hands. "You got me a bath?"

"No." He smirked at the disappointment on her face. "I got you a really big bath."

With those words, she run upstairs as first as she could. In the master bedroom, there was a bathroom joined on with a huge bath, immediately noting it was big enough for two. She didn't wait long before she was filling the bath up with water, thrilled to know that it was a quick fill bath.

She slipped herself into the soothing hot water, feeling her achy back ease with the heat. She smiled at Dukat when he entered the bathroom carrying a tray and setting down bedside her on a small table next to the bath. "Are you planning to join me?"

He stripped off and climbed into the bath with her, sitting at the other end. "They're moving." He leant over to rub her stomach and give it a gentle kiss.

"They do that a lot." She sighed happily. "So, I have another news."

"Oh? Good or bad?"

"My father is coming to visit."

Dukat winced. "Bad."

Raina kicked his leg under the water. "Shhh. He was accepting of us and he's delighted with this pregnancy. Don't worry, he won't hurt you. He'll just interrogate you for an hour or two."

"I'm glad you find it funny."

"Shut up, sexy man." She glanced down at him, catching sight of his hardened length underneath the water. "Oooo, hard at the sight of my naked pregnant body. It'd be a shame to waste such a beautiful thing." She teased.

"Feel free to jump on."

That exactly what Raina was planning to do. She manoeuvred herself over to him and straddled his lap. "I missed your Cho'Ch. Only so much my fingers can do."

He held her close as she rode his length hard. Neither were going to last long after such a long time without sex. Raina came first with Dukat following not long after. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too."

"Marry me." He pressed her hand into his chest, above his heart.

She nodded, giving him a tender kiss. "I need to confess something first."

"What?" He shifted uncomfortably, fearing it was something he didn't want to hear.

"I had a few sessions with the ships Counsellor about my past and my resulting control and trust issues. She felt that I slept with Cardassians to relive the rape, in a way to try and control it." Tears slipped down her face as guilt ate at her. "I told her about you and how I felt a shift in what I wanted from you. I need to confess that I wanted to hurt you, but I couldn't because you were different than what I expected you to be. My issues weren't about control, it was about hurting you. That's why I tried to push you away so much and I asked you that awful question about your Bajoran mistresses." She pressed her forehead into his chest, fully sobbing. "Please forgive me. I'm so sorry."

He wrapped his arms around her, holding her protectively. He hated that she was still in so much pain after so long but all he could do was support her through the pain. "I love you, Raina. The only pain I've felt is being apart from you."

"I had to be honest with you." She stopped herself. "I lied to you; I have read your mind."

Voices downstairs disturbed the couple, knowing Yva had arrived with the children. Dukat got out of the bath and dressed quickly. "You should get some rest. I'll send the children up and my mother."

Raina dressed in light clothing and climbed into the most luxurious bed she'd ever laid in. She heard an excited sequel from Talyn and three sets of rushed footsteps running up the stairs. She braced herself for the incoming onslaught. The three children burst into the room and immediately launched themselves on to her. "Hey, hey. Steady on, your sisters are in here." She laughed at the confused faces, so she pulled back the covers to show them her baby bump. "If you poke it, they'll kick back at you."

All three took turns to illicit kicks out of the two girls. "Does it hurt?" Talyn asked.

"No, just a bit uncomfortable. So, my dad is coming visit because he wants to meet his grandchildren. You up for that?"

"Is he nice?" Jacen asked.

Raina laughed. "He's the best and he is so excited to meet you. And, he wants to assess a potential Starfleet Cadet."

Mekor gave her a crushing hug. "I just need a sponsor."

"Honey, you are the grandchild of a Starfleet Admiral. Refusing you would be against the code."

"What happens if we can't find the incubator?" Talyn looked close to tears. "Father says they won't recognise you as our mother without her permission."

"Don't worry." She reassured them all. "You are my babies and it will happen, with or without her."


	24. Chapter 24

The Lakarian markets were an absolute must for all Cardassian women. They had everything from clothing to personal care and everything else in between. Yva and the other women in the family insisted on taking Raina to spend Dukat's money. Not that Dukat minded as he had plenty and his bride to be deserved the best. They had taken young Talyn along with them now that she was growing into a young lady. Raina hadn't been in a particularly shopping mood, but the markets wouldn't be on for another month and although Raina had pointed out that the wedding wasn't happening for another six months, Yva insisted they got ahead in planning and bought items needed for the twins arrival. Raina conceded when she saw how important it was to her future mother in law.

When they had arrived at the markets, Raina had never felt more self-aware in her life. It was clear that the presence of a Human confused the other women. "Yva, they are staring me."

"Don't worry, Raina. I'll tell you who you need to worry about. Let's visit the jewellery market first." Yva led Raina and Talyn to the first stall and she greeted the older lady behind it.

"Yva, it's been a while." The woman cast her eye towards the heavily pregnant Raina. "And who is this?"

Yva proudly wrapped an arm around Raina. "This beautiful creature is my soon to be daughter in law and the mother of my grandchildren, Raina. And the little lady is my granddaughter, Talyn."

The woman nodded respectfully to Raina and her gossip gears were set in motion. "I thought Skrain was married?" A disgusted noise from all three women told her everything.

"Athra walked out on my son and his children. Fortunately, that dreadful woman did us all a favour."

Talyn wrapped her arms around Raina, her head resting on her stomach. "Father found our true mother."

"Raina is our new Federation Ambassador." Yva preened. "Cardassia has never been in better hands."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ambassador. I am, Meela."

"Pleasure is all mine, Meela." Raina nodded to the woman. "So, my intended has given me free reign to spend."

"I see you are familiar with my products already." Meela gestured towards Raina's necklace.

Raina chuckled. "This was a first anniversary present."

"How long have you been together?"

"Oh, it's been nearly four happy years now." Raina rubbed her stomach, smiling as the girls inside offered their opinion. "Soon to get very busy with these two feisty girls."

"Well, go see my friend Aida. She'll have everything you need for the babies." Meela took Raina's hands and held them tightly. "May your daughters be blessed with a beauty comparable to yours. One of them already has been."

Raina looked down at Talyn, who blushed at the compliment. "My sweet little birdie certainly is beautiful." Raina spent some money at Meela's stall before moving on. She had bought matching bracelets for her and Talyn, mainly because she sensed Talyn's insecurity over the twins arrival. Raina wanted her daughter to know that she would always love her, and the twins were an addition to a loving family and not replacements.

After an hour of shopping, Raina noticed that Yva was behaving oddly. Yva had told Talyn to go with her great aunt, Iyza. Once Yva and Raina were alone she pulled her daughter in law aside, but her eyes glared at something in the distance. "Raina, Athra is over there."

Raina immediately whipped her head around towards the woman. "I don't want that woman anywhere near my daughter."

"Don't worry. Iyza has taken her to the other end of the market. Shall we ruin her day?" Yva asked with a certain degree of sinister delight.

"Yva, you are the best mother in law, ever. Let's go." Raina smirked, glaring at the woman.

Yva linked arms with Raina and they strolled over to the stall Athra was at, flanked by four young men. "Athra…." Drawled out. "Long time, no see."

Athra had a looked on her face that resembled something like a deer caught in the headlights. "Yva. Looking as hard faced as ever."

"Jacen is fine, by the way." Raina interrupted with her voice as cold as ice. "Not that you would care."

Athra studied the Human with faint recognition, laughing as she remembered her face on a datapad in Dukat's office. "So, he hooked you after all. How long has he successfully kept you?"

"Since before you abandoned your children." Raina bit.

"You think you're so special." Athra laughed. "He doesn't know how to be faithful and he'll go back his Bajorans in time."

"So when will you be unfaithful to Gul Jalet?" Raina smirked as she sensed she had struck a nerve. "By your logic, you'll be cheating again too." Raina's small victory was short live when she heard Talyn calling for her. Before she could do anything, Talyn was next to her.

"Mummy, mummy. There's a stall selling pets." She babbled excitedly. "Can we get one, please?" Talyn picked up the tension and her eyes turned to the woman who abandoned her. She clung to Raina for protection.

"My only daughter, grown so much."

"Don't your dare speak to her." Raina warned her.

"I'm her mother. I'll talk to her if I want."

Rage burned through Talyn so fierce it physically hurt. She picked up an ornament on the table and threw it at Athra. "You are not my mother, you nasty woman." She screamed before running away.

"Go after her, Raina." Yva said. "I'll deal with her."

Raina chased after Talyn through the markets. She had nearly caught up to her when her foot caught on a piece of uneven pavement. She tumbled face first into the concrete, smashing her face and left forearm on the floor. Everything around her went fuzzy and she struggled to keep focus, even as some women helped her up. She heard a woman call for Yva and Talyn crying. Blood trickled down her face and her arm were in agony. It wasn't until she was at a health centre with a doctor tending to her that the fog cleared. "Oh, my head." She groaned.

"You took quite a tumble, Ambassador. Your daughter was very upset." The doctor used an Osteo-regenerator on her arm to heal the fracture. "The bone will feel quite painful for a day or two but that's just an after effect from the bone breaking."

"Sod my arm." Raina grunted angrily. "I'm more worried about my twins."

"The twins are fine, although I suggest a few days rest. Your cervix has softened, and you've already started to dilate. You might go into labour any time."

"You're well versed in Human pregnancies." Raina commented as she flexed her newly fixed arm.

"I'm a doctor. It's my duty to know." She replied, sternly. "Go home and rest. No more running."

Dukat spent hours trying to coax Talyn out of her bedroom. Even her brothers had tried, and she always listened to them. He walked back into the master bedroom and climbed into bed with Raina. "Still can't coax her out. What did Athra say to her?"

"She said that she was her mother, she could talk to her anytime. Talyn took it badly." She replied. "I think we need to encourage her to be open about how she feels. She's holding a lot back and I worry how she'll feel after the girls arrive."

"So what do you suggest?"

Before Raina could reply, the boys appeared in the doorway with a tearful Talyn standing behind them. "I'm sorry, mummy." She sobbed. Talyn waited until Raina lifted up the bed covers, and she dived into bed, cuddling up to Raina.

"And you two as well." Fortunately, the bed was big enough for the boys to climb in next to their father. "I've been sensing some insecurities from you since you found out about your sisters. How can we make you feel better?"

There was silence from the three children until Mekor spoke up. "Somebody told Talyn that we weren't needed now that dad has a new family. We'll be sent away."

Dukat and Raina shared a look, fearing that this worry would come up at some point. "I want to make it clear. There is no new family or old family. "

"These two girls are so very lucky to have siblings who'll adore them as much as you will." Raina looked down a Talyn's sad face and then to her worried boys. "I've suffered a lot of pain in my life, but if that pain meant my reward was to be here, in this family, then it was worth it."

"Let's get some sleep." Dukat found himself pinned down by Raina and Jacen leaning against him. He stayed awake as the others slept soundly around him. His eyes fell on Raina and the sudden burst of love felt like he was having a heart attack. He still had no idea how he convinced her to fall in love with him or how he convinced her to forgive him, but he was grateful she did. He needed her behind him, and he felt stronger with her support. He wasn't a romantic man or an overly affectionate man, but he loved her and his children more than anything. He didn't care what others thought of him, theirs was the opinion he counted. All he needed to do was to eliminate the problem with Athra and his family could be complete.

Talyn woke in the early hours to the sensation of wetness underneath her. She got and shook her father. "Daddy, the bed is wet."

Dukat woke with a start and felt the same wetness. He gave Raina a gentle shake and she woke groaning in pain. "Raina, the bed is wet."

"I think it's started."


	25. Chapter 25

Raina laid in her hospital bed getting increasingly irritated by Dukat clucking around her like some demented hen. If he asked her if she was ok once more, she was going to strangle him with an IV line. She was the one in labour. The one who had been labouring for hours with no progress. The doctors tending to her had left to discuss how best to proceed. Raina did not care what they did, she just wanted her babies delivered safely. "Please, Skrain. Calm down."

"How can I be calm?" He asked, quickly as he paced.

"Because I need you to be." She snapped back at him; her voice laden with distress. "I am dying inside right now and need you to be the one who says, "Everything will be ok," because I need that." Tears slipped down her cheeks and she let out a heart-breaking sob. "It'll be my fault that our babies die."

Seeing her fear was like a blow to the gut. He took her shaking hands in his and pressed his forehead against hers. "The babies are going to be fine. They are just like you, stubborn and beautiful."

"Skrain, I don't feel well." A burst of pain rampaged through her head and it felt like her head was splitting in half. She felt like her skin was burning and her mouth got unbearably dry.

Dukat watched feeling helpless as Raina fell limp in his arms. He shook her gently to rouse her, but she did not respond. The beeping of the monitor next to her spurred him into action and pressed the emergency button. The next few moments blurred as he was ushered out of the room, forced to sit alone outside.

Full on panic has set in and he expected the doctor to come out to say that his wife to be and daughters were dead. He was numb, so numb that he did not even acknowledge his own mother sitting next to him at first. An older Human male sat the other side of him, but he could not find the space in his head to wonder who it was.

Together, all three sat together in silence for what seemed like hours. Time just kept going without even going anywhere at all.

Yva sat holding her son's hand, willing Raina to be alright. She feared what would happen if Raina died. Yva herself had grown to adore her daughter in law. She was the daughter that she never had. The children would be heartbroken without their mother. They loved Raina as much as they loved their father.

John, never a religious man, prayed to the universe to keep his daughter alive. She was his baby; he couldn't be without her. He watched his son in law, and he had never seen a man look so lost, like he was adrift in an ocean with no land in sight.

All three sat up when a nurse left Raina's room, with a frustratingly unreadable face. Dukat stood up shaking. "Is she ok?"

"The babies are perfectly healthy. Raina suffered a lot of blood loss, so we've had to perform a hysterectomy, but she's stable now and her vitals are good." The nurse reassured him, lightly tapping his arm.

"When can I see them?" Dukat was eager to get back into the room to see her and his daughters.

"Soon. They are just finishing up with Raina and the babies." The Nurse smiled. "Congratulations. They are very beautiful."

After waiting a few more painful minutes, Dukat finally got back into the room followed by his mother and father in law. He gave the sleeping Raina a tender kiss on the lips before he moved over to the cot where his babies lay sleeping. His knees weakened underneath him as he stood still over his new-borns. The love of his life had not only given him two beautiful daughters, but a beautiful son too. A little laugh escaped him as he looked down at his sleeping son, wondering how he managed to stay so well hidden all that time. Water welled in his eyes as he studied them in detail, reliving fond memories of when his older children were born. "I don't know which one I want to hold first." He wanted to scoop all three into his arms and hold them tight.

"Sit down, son. We'll bring them to you." Yva cooed as she lifted one girl in her arms, giving her a kiss on the forehead and laid her gently onto her father's chest. John did the same with the other girl and Yva picked up her grandson.

The enormity of what Raina had achieved finally hit Dukat when he had all three babies on his chest, and he could smell their new-born scent. The girls looked like little half Human versions of Talyn and the boy looked like his brothers, but he had Raina's nose. All three had lots of dark hair and appeared more Human but already had some obvious Cardassian features. One thing he definitely noticed was the serene look on their faces as they slept. It was the same look that Raina had on her face when she slept.

Raina groaned as she became aware of where she was once again. She could hear the quiet voices of her family, discussing how beautiful the babies were. "Skrain?" She called. Instead of her soon to be husband, her father appeared at her bedside. "Hi, Dad."

"Hey, Rai." He kissed her cheek. "That man of yours is hogging your beautiful babies."

"Are they ok?" She croaked.

"They are perfect. Let me help you sit up." He helped his daughter sit up in bed, getting her settled and placing a pillow on her lap.

Raina smiled through her tears as she got sight her daughters for the first time. A gasp of shock escaped her when Dukat placed their son in the middle of his sisters. "Oh, they are so beautiful." She cried as she cradled them, already so in love with them. She looked up at Dukat, watching as he tried to remain in control of his emotions. "I love you."

He gave her a tender kiss, pressing his nose to hers. "I love you, too."

Yva gave both her son and daughter in law a kiss. "We'll see you at home."

John shook Dukat's hand before hugging his daughter. "See you in the morning."

Once they were only, they shared a look with each other that said, _"How the hell are we going to do this?" _

Raina laughed as all three of her babies grizzled slightly. "Oh, we are going to get very busy."

"They all look like you." He caressed their +way. "Rosie, something went wrong during the labour."

Raina caught her husband's face, sensing his sadness, guilt, and fear. "What is it?"

He sat on the bed, putting an arm around her. "They said some scar tissue in your womb ruptured during the labour. They had to perform a full hysterectomy."

Raina wasn't quite sure how to take the news. She managed to carry three babies to term, something she never thought she'd be able to do. Then she realised that she ignored the first half of the only successful pregnancy she would ever experience. She felt like so guilty for that, but she shook it off. "I managed to get three babies out of this pregnancy, now I'm a mother of six. I won't ask for more than that."

"We need names for these three."

"Can we name our son after your dad and maybe after our first baby together. Zoran Procal Dukat-Cavendish?"

Dukat nodded his approval, kissing her forehead. "And the girls?"

"I think the kids had their heart set on Ayla and Maya."

"What about middle names. You Human's love over naming."

Raina nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "I'll over name you in a minute." She smirked. "So, Ayla Ziyal Dukat-Cavendish and Maya Eleanor Dukat-Cavendish."

The family gather in the morning, Cardassians and Humans gathered chatting, mostly about what the babies would look like. Both Yva and John had kept the boy a secret so it would be a surprise. All of Raina's family had arrived on Cardassia just in time and Yva welcomed them warmly.

Talyn had been anxiously waiting for her parents to arrive home. When she saw the transport arrive, she ran into the garden. "They're here." She squealed excitedly.

Raina and Dukat entered the garden with the three babies in carriers, much to the surprise of the family. "Where's my babies?" She asked, looking around for the older children. When they appeared, she pointed at the sofa. "Take a seat. As the big siblings, you get first snuggles." All three sat down, ready to hold their new siblings. "Mekor, this little lady is Maya." Mekor took his new sister in his arms, tears welling in his eyes. "Jacen, this is Ayla." Jacen also had tears in his eyes when he his little sister closer to his chest. "Talyn, here is the surprise. Your little brother, Zoran." Raina stood back and watched as they bonded with their new siblings. "So, what do you think?"

"Thank you." Was all the children said as they admired the babies.

Later Yva approached Raina in private, clutching a small box in her hands. "Raina, you know how much I adore you and since I didn't have a daughter, I wanted to give you this."

Raina gasped as Yva opened the box to reveal a beautiful headpiece of silver like flower native to Cardassia. "It's beautiful."

"I would be honoured if you would wear it at your wedding."

Raina cried, pulling her into a hug. "Thank you."

Yva held her daughter in law with one hand and the box balancing in the other. "Thank you, Raina. Your mother made such a beautiful daughter."


	26. Chapter 26

Raina snapped her eyes open, confused by the darkness that surrounded her. She could feel the sharp, jagged ground underneath her body, digging into her skin. She couldn't say how she came to be in that place. The last thing she could remember was falling asleep with her head rested on Dukat's chest after they settled their 6 week old babies down for the night. She didn't know how they got so lucky, but they slept through the night which was an absolute blessing.

She managed to get herself into a sitting position, just able to make out her grotty surroundings. Judging by the noise, she wasn't the only one stuck in a cell. Then a hit of recognition struck her, and she knew that she was on DS9. It just wasn't what she remembered.

The door to the cell block swished open, allowing three Cardassian guards to enter, followed by an officious looking man. They studied the other cells occupants before coming to a stop in front of her cell. "A Human?" The man asked in surprise.

"She was picked up in a Federation shuttle entering the home system." A guard told him. "She was unconscious and brought here."

"What is your name, girl?" He asked her.

"Rosie." She replied, quietly.

"I think he'll very much like this one."

"But she's a Human." Another guard protested.

The man ignored the guard. "Have her cleaned and taken to him."

Some time later, Raina was cleaned up and dressed up in traditional Cardassian clothing. They ushered her into a room that she recognised and told to wait. Several other women joined her, one she instantly recognised as Naprem, just several years younger. She quickly realised that she was to meet Dukat, but she was the past. Any chance to mull over how she ended up in the past was lost when the man himself entered the room, with the swagger and confidence that older Dukat had. Strangely, she didn't feel the same butterflies in her stomach that her Dukat gave her. When his eyes met hers, it was like he stood frozen in time.

Dukat waved his hand towards the other women. "Go." He ordered as he stood before Raina, studying every inch of her. Naprem was particularly reluctant to leave but did so eventually. "Now, who would you be?" He asked before kissing the back of her hand.

"Rosie." She replied, tersely as snatched her hand away. "If you are looking for a comfort woman, look somewhere else." She turned from him and went to the door to summon a guard. "Return me to the cells now."

Dukat dismissed the guard. "You are something else." He smirked.

"And you allow women to be ripped from their families and homes to serve you, because your detestable personality means you have to force women to sleep with you." She fired back before storming out of his cabin, screeching at a guard to take her back to the cells.

Dukat watched as she left, completely floored by the poison she spat at him. She wasn't scared of him at all. Not that he wanted her to fear him, he was just used to women falling for his charms instantly. She was apparently immune to him.

She was still on his mind hours later when he was having his weekly dinner with his officers. They all chatted around him, but he heard nothing of what they said.

"Sir?" Damar caught his attention. "Are you ok?"

"I am not, Damar." He admitted. "You have seen the Human?"

"I have not."

"She is perfection and I cannot help but feel intoxicated by her beauty."

"So what troubles you, sir?"

"She detests me." He stood up quickly. "I must speak to her."

He walked to the cells, coming to a stop in front of hers. She gave him the briefest of looks before looking away again.

"Have the decency to not look like a wounded puppy." She muttered. "We have a saying, "The truth hurts." Perhaps try some self-reflection to ease the pain."

"I've never forced a woman to sleep with me." He argued.

Raina laughed, walking closer to him. "If you think they have a choice then you're a fucking idiot. You don't think those women aren't told to comply or risk everyone they love getting murdered. They don't love you, Dukat, they have no choice but to cater to you and the others like you."

"You seem to know a lot, Rosie."

"I know more than you think." She sneered. "Now run along to your slaves."

Dukat slammed the controls to the cell, storming towards her once the forcefield was down. He grabbed her forcefully, pinning her against the walls. "I'm a dangerous man."

"No, you aren't." She wrenched herself from his grip. "You sit upon the throne you think you deserve. Surround yourself with women that don't love you. Friends that would easily stab you in the back. Still looking for what your father prevented your mother from giving you. Love."

He growled, quietly before storming out of the cells.

Dukat dismissed all of his comfort women for the night and opted to sleep alone. He spent hours tossing and turning, mulling over the harsh words the mysterious Human had spoken. He thought of the women that he had over his years as Prefect. Had he really left the women with no choice but to obey him?

He got up from his bed, sitting at his desk. For some reason, he desperately wanted to prove himself to the beautiful Human. He begun writing a message to all the officers on the station. He ordered them to present the women to him so he could take to them in private. He would give the women a choice and they chose to stay, then so be it. If they wanted to leave then they could do so without repercussions.

He looked at the picture of his beloved sister that he kept on his desk. She was the reason that he hated violence against women, yet he failed her so badly. She was rotting away in an institution on Cardassia after being violently attacked by her own husband. He was just 15 when he found her close to death and it had a lasting impact on his psyche.

He would prove himself to the Human and make things right with his sister. He liked to believe he was a good man, but the Human made him feel like he wasn't. That unsettled him.


	27. Chapter 27

Raina was jolted awake when two guards dragged her out of her cell. Dazed and confused, she tried to lash out, but her attempts were met with violence. "Where are you taking me?" She demanded, struggling against her captors grip.

"Gul Dukat wants to see you." The grin on the guards face left Raina's blood running cold.

She was dragged to Dukat's room and thrown down on the floor at his feet. She looked up at him and his face terrified her. She was going to do die.

"Get up!" Dukat pulled her up by her hair and threw her down on the bed so was on her stomach, immediately straddling. "Now, be a good girl and tell me who you work for."

"Burn in hell." She spat as she tried to shrug him off.

Determined hands press against her head, pushing her face into the mattress. She struggled against it, forcing her head back up so she could breath. She stilled suddenly as a voice broke into her mind, telling her that it wasn't real. "_Fight_." It urged.

Raina screamed. "It's not real."

"_Dammit. She's fighting the simulation." _

"_Load the next one."_

Dukat paced his office back and forth like a caged animal.

How dare they threaten his wife and blackmail him. Like cowards, kidnapping his wife and the love of his life, after they had drugged him. Once he had found them, he would show no mercy.

It was his fault.

They were his enemies. They kidnapped her because of him. He knew he would regret not killing Gul Tretol when he had the chance and he should have anticipated using Raina for revenge. He just hoped beyond measure that they didn't do to her what he kept imagining.

They had demanded that he turned himself over for execution and Raina wouldn't be harmed. Despite protestations from the council and his cabinet, he planned to do just that.

But he was Gul Dukat. He didn't plan to allow them to just kill him, he would take as many of them as possible and make sure Raina was safe. If he died after that, so be it. Raina's safety was paramount.

Fortunately, he had his family and Raina's family to mount a rescue for Raina and himself. Currently, that family were setting things up before Dukat travelled alone to the meeting point. Once the call came in, he would be on his way to save his wife. Whether he lived or died as result, he didn't care.

Raina woke up in the one place she feared going back to.

Back on to Gul Tretol's ship.

She could smell the Kanar lingering heavily in the air. The cruel taunts of her abusers as she lay broken on the bed. Even the taste of blood tainting her tongue. Her body ached as she sobbed quietly into the sheets.

She froze as her abusers surrounded the bed again, discussing who's turn it was. It felt so real, but it wasn't. That voice entered her head again, telling her to fight. It was then she caught the glint of a knife, tucked into the waist band of one of the captors. She waited for her moment for him to get closer. In a flash, she took the knife and plunged it into his stomach.

"It's not real!" She screamed.

"_Tretol, she's waking up." _

"_Give her more tetrovaline and load the next simulation."_

"_More could kill her."_

"_I don't care. Just let the bitch suffer." _

"_The tetrovaline isn't working, she's gaining consciousness."_

"_Kill her."_

Raina groaned loudly as she hit the metal floor after falling from the bed. She had no idea where she was, but she had a pounding headache and her stomach was lurching.

She struggled to her feet and propped herself against the bed while she gained some perspective of her surroundings. She surveyed the room, looking for any escape route she could find. Fortunately, she found an escape hatch and she summoned the strength needed to climb through.

Dukat moved through the old and worn station Empok Nor as he searched for Raina, despatching anyone who got in his way. He probably made a stupid decision to go it alone, but he couldn't wait for help to arrive. Fortunately, he knew Empok Nor as it was identical to Terok Nor, so he knew where Raina likely was.

She had to be close, he could sense her. He was always aware of her presence when she was close by. He didn't understand it himself, but it was as if they shared a mind housed in two separate bodies. He was as aware of her thoughts as his own. Right now she was in distress, yelling and crying.

Gul Tretol pressed his hands against Raina's neck, pushing down slowly as she struggled to breathe. "You ruined my life. I'm going to kill you and your little pet won't be able to help you."

Raina struggled to breathe but she wanted him to know the consequence of his actions nearly a decade prior. "You…..had a d…daughter."

Something in him switched and he let go of her neck, taking a step back. "What?"

Raina carefully stood up as she caressed her neck. "I woke up from a coma to find out that I was pregnant."

"Where is the child?" He demanded.

Raina fought back the tears when she thought of her baby girl. "Her ashes are buried on Cardassia."

"When did she die?"

"Halfway through the pregnancy, her heart stopped beating. They think that the placenta was interrupted by some scar tissue left on my womb."

"Did you at least name her. Respect her Cardassian half?"

"I named her after my mother. Skrain performed funeral rites for her as we buried her ashes." Raina could sense that Dukat was close, so all she had to do was keep Tretol talking. "She looked Cardassian. She had the eye ridges, ears, nose, and chin. Her forehead was Human, and she had a similar skin tone to me."

"Why wasn't I told?"

Raina scoffed. "I thought that was obvious. You and two of your officers gang raped me until I was nearly dead. It's taken me years to undo the damage that you did to me. Even if Ellie had lived, do you really think that I'd allow you to even know that she existed? You have so little regard for women and non-Cardassians that you'd use her Human half to punish her for the rest of her life. I didn't even know until recently that you were her father. You weren't the only one raping me."

Tretol took a threatening step towards Raina. "My life is in ruins because of you."

Raina laughed loudly. "You ruined your own life. Skrain wanted to have you killed for what you did to me."

"You think that slimy Bajoran-fucking idiot cares about some little Human whore he knocked up?"

Raina felt the rage rise in her so quickly that she didn't even think about what she about to do. Next to her was a long piece of metal that had obviously fallen from the crumbling station and in a flash she swung it at him so hard that it knocked him out cold. Seconds later, Dukat rushed into the room holding his gun. "You took your time."

Dukat didn't even react to her quip. Instead he holstered his gun and moved quickly to her. With a brief glance his lips were on hers and he kissed her as if he would never get to kiss her again.

Raina's knees were absolutely weak when he pulled his lips away from hers. "I should get kidnapped more often." She breathed out.

"I rather you didn't. I really thought I lost you for good."

"You're always there to save me, lover."

Dukat looked down at Tretol in disgust. "What shall we do with him?"

"Set the station to blow. Whether he gets off or not, I really don't care."

They escaped into the shuttle after setting the station to blow, headed back to Cardassia. "Are you ok?" Dukat asked Raina, worried by her silence.

"I'm fine." She wanted to be fine, but she wasn't sure how to feel. "It doesn't matter. There was a point I thought I'd never get to see you again either or the kids."

The shuttle sensors bleeped to say that they had company. "I think your father has just arrived."

"Good. I need to get into a soft bed, and we have needs to attend to." She smirked suggestively.

John appeared on the screen, visibly relieved to see his daughter was ok. "Hey sweetheart. Dock the shuttle and we have a room waiting. Skrain, I trust the matter was dealt with."

Dukat and John had developed an understanding when they got to know each other, especially when it came to Raina. The other knew the lengths the other would go to in protecting Raina. Dukat knew how important John was to Raina and John knew how much Dukat loved her. They could never claim to be friends as such, but they respected one another and could rely on each other when they had to. "It was, John. Although I didn't have to do that much."

John chuckled. "Well, my girl was never one to be the damsel in distress."

Raina waited for when her father was off the comm. "What the hell was that? Since when have you and my father been on first name basis?"

"Since we both realised what we have in common."

"Say no more."

Once in the cabin, Raina melted into her husband's touch. They lay in bed, sharing teasing kisses and caressing touches. "I love the way your skin feels on mine."

"I love the taste of your skin." He whispered against her neck, his teeth nipping at her skin.

"We haven't had sex in about 8 weeks." She groaned as his finger slipped into her.

"Hmmm." He loved to kiss her skin. There was nothing in the galaxy like the taste and feel of her skin. She deserved to be worshipped. His mouth sealed around her hardened nipple, teasing the tip with his blunt tongue, smirking inside as she moved towards the source of pleasure. "Beg." He groaned in her ear.

"Please." She breathed out.

He entered her slowly, his eyes closing as pure bliss took over him. He missed the way she felt and the noises she made as he touched her. When her hands wove into his hair and she tugged, he knew that was his cue. He pushed her legs apart and threw one over his shoulder and began to relentlessly pound into her.

Raina couldn't describe the feelings she felt when she and Dukat made love, but it was always the same, whether it was slow and gentle or fast and rough. She always felt satisfied and she adored the lazy cuddles afterwards.

She knew she wouldn't last since it had been a while since they had sex, but she hadn't expected to orgasm so quickly. She whispered sweet things in his ear as she came.

Dukat could feel that familiar sensation in his groin as he neared climax. He made a few more desperate thrusts into her, letting out a growl as he spilled into her. He pushed the hair from her face and kissed her gently. "I love you."

"I love you, too."


End file.
